Middlebury
MAGAZINE J
Fall 1999
Volume 73, Number 4
Editor
Rachel Morton
Alumni Editor
Dotty McCarty
Designer
Pamela Fogg
Copy Editor
Regan Eberhart
Production Assistant
Judy Nelson
Editorial Assistants
Caroline Bodkin ’01
Courtney Palmbush ’00
Editorial Office
Meeker House
Middlebury College
Middlebury,VT 05753
Phone: 802-443-5670
E-mail: middmag@middlebury.edu
On-line: http//www.middelbury.edu/
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Other College Offices
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The views presented are not necessarily those of
the editors or the official policies of the College.
FROST ON
THE MOUNTAIN
i AM DEEP, DEEP in Frost country with over 120 people who have gathered
at Bread Loaf to attend a conference on Robert Frost. Bread Loaf is hallowed
ground for these Frost fans and scholars because Frost roamed these very corridors
and lived just a short hike from Middlebury s mountain campus.
The conference participants are a diverse lot, among them the usual suspects
(English teachers, graduate students, and poets), a large and distinguished academic
contingent including heavy-hitters like Middlebury s own Jay Parini, Robert Pack,
and Robert Hill, and there’s also an interesting assortment of realtors and housewives,
businessmen and artists.
Frost probably would have been pleased by the diversity of the crowd assembled.
As his granddaughter, Lesley Lee Francis, mentioned in a roundtable discussion, Frost
prided himelf on the accessibility of his poetry, a contrarian stand in 1930 when diffi¬
culty was a hallmark of modern poetry.
Peter Stanlis ’42 illustrated this anti-intellectual bent with an anecdote from 1953
when Frost read “Fire and Ice” at Bread Loaf. Afrer the reading Frost walked out onto
the west lawn and a woman came out and said, “Oh Mr. Frost, I loved that poem you
recited,‘Fire and Ice.’ Could you please tell me what it means?”
“Oh sure,” Frost said. “Some say the world will end in fire,/ Some say in ice./
From what I’ve tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favor fire./ But if it had to
perish twice,/ I think I know enough of hate/ To know that for destruction ice/ Is
also great/ Aaid would suffice.
“That’s what it means.”
Personal anecdotes like these are the currency of this gathering. They are shared
like precious jewels. And though people with a personal memory of Frost may be
becoming fewer as years go by, there are still many who remember hearing Frost read
during the middle decades of this century. Robert Burton, a retired businessman from
Evanston, Illinois, is here today because he heard Frost read in 1948 when Burton was
a student at the University of Iowa. Although Frost suffered terribly from shyness at
first, he became a powerful public speaker, one people remembered hearing for years.
About 40 years ago, Frost gave a reading at Dartmouth, and two little girls were
taken to the event by one of their fathers. They twitched and whispered through
the reading. When Frost finished, the father, poet Pochard Eberhart, took the girls
firmly in hand and marched them to the front of Webster Hall to meet his friend and
colleague. Frost solemnly shook their little hands, and they ran back to their seats, gig¬
gling, leaving the poets to discuss more weighty, grown-up matters.
This is one of the few days I remember from that far back in my childhood. I was
one of those little girls. Gretchen Eberhart was the other. Was it the grown-ups’ respect
and awe for the man that made this memory so indelible? Or simply the aura of an
elderly man with a shock of white hair. Whatever it was, I realize I, too, am one of
those people carrying a tiny, but unforgettable, little jewel of Frostiana .—RM
Middlebury College of Middlebury, VT 05753,
published Middlebury Magazine (ISSN-0745-2454)
four times a year: winter, spring, summer, and fall,
c 1999, Middlebury College Publications. Middlebury
Magazine is printed at The Lane Press in South
Burlington,VT. Periodical postage paid at
Middlebury,Vt., and at additional mailing offices
(USPS 964-820). POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Middlebury Magazine, Middlebury
College, Middlebury,VT 05753. Printed in U.S.A.
Inside
24 NEW HORIZONS
FOR SCIENCE
The opening of
Bicentennial Hall marks
a new era for Middlebnry.
28 GOOD CHEMISTRY
Sunhee Choi and her
students have a special
bond that goes beyond
science.
32 ROUNDING IT OUT
Bob Pack deconstructs his
new book of poetry.
2 LETTERS
Hie last word on lovers
and other strangers.
8 UPHILL/DOWNHILL
The bells toll for Tim, hate
dissected by Andrew Sullivan,
the numbers add up for Midd.
ACADEMIC
MATTERS
Hold the popcorn. Film
screenings are serious
business for Ted Perry.
35 ALYA BAKER
MOLODETS!
Alya Baker offers a little
Russian syntax and a lot
of Russian soul.
38 CLIMBING
THE BIG WALL
A first ascent up a remote
arctic clifffor National
Geographic.
14 BOOK MARKS
The story of Vermont
is the story of the people
and the land.
18 SPORT REPORT
A double whamtrfy with
two-time All-American
fohn Giannacopoulos ’00
20 STUDENT SCENE
Standing thigh-deep in the
White River, they cast and
catch the spirit of Midd.
22 OLD CHAPEL
VIEWS
A geology lesson offers
insights into how we live.
94 POINT OF ORDER
Resolutions for a
new year.
96 EDUCATED
OPINION
Why you should take
a poet to lunch.
Middlebury College
Board ofTrustees
President
John M. McCardell,Jr.
Fellows
Frederic W. Allen
Peter I. Bijur
Nicholas R. Clifford
Churchill G. Franklin 71
Nancy Coffrin Furlong 75
Claire Waterhouse Gargalli ’64
Drue Cortell Gensler ’57
Robert C. Graham, Jr. ’63
Reed L. Harman ’68
Jane W. Harvey ’85
Betty Ashbury Jones, M.A. ’86
Robert A. Jones ’59
William H. Kieffer III ’64
Thomas J. Knox ’84
Roxanne McCormick Leighton ’67
Louis Marx, Jr.
Garrett M. Moran 76
Michael C. Obel-Omia ’88
Jane Bryant Quinn ’60
Thomas P. Salmon
Frank W.Sesno 77
J. Lea Simonds ’69
John Spencer
Polyvios Vintiadis
Emeriri
James I. Armstrong
Mary Williams Brackett ’36
Allan R. Dragone, Sr. ’50
Willard T. Jackson ’51
Arnold R. LaForce ’35
C. Irving Meeker ’50
Jonathan O’Herron
Patricia Judah Palmer ’57
W. Kyle Prescott ’49
Raymond J. Saulnier ’29
David E.Thompson ’49
Hilton A. Wick
Robert P. Youngman ’64
Officers of the Corporation
Claire Waterhouse Gargalli ’64, Chair
Churchill G. Franklin 71, Vice Chair
Betty Ashbury Jones, M.A. ’86,Vice Chair
Betsy Mitchell Etchells 75, Secretary
David W. Ginevan,Treasurer
2 Middlebury Magazine
lOeSs
Hindsight on Frost
Professor Jay Parini, in his monumental
book, Robert Frost: A Life , unknowingly
may have helped some alumni understand
their skeptical reactions to Frost when they
talked with him in a Middlebury classroom
in the 1930s. It was probably in 1936 when
Professor Reginald Cook brought a sur¬
prise guest to one of his American literature
classes. Robert Frost, who was to become
the nations best-loved poet, received only
mixed reviews from our group.
I remember telling friends at lunch that
he was “a pretty old guy” who had a hard
time staying awake, even under “Doc”
Cook’s persistent and enthusiastic question¬
ing. (Frost was only in his 60s, but to us that
was old). He seemed very tired, even ill.
Others thought his homespun writings
were simplistic, and most of us didn’t agree
with his dislike for Franklin D. Roosevelt,
whose economic programs were helping us
to stay in college.
We later tried to explain to Professor
Cook, who idolized his old friend, that we
were not being disrespectful, just critical.
We were products of the Depression and, in
many ways, were as anti-establishment in
the 1930s as our children’s generation in
the 1970s. However, we might have been
more sympathetic if we had known then
what we know now, thanks to Jay Parini s
fascinating account of the poet’s ever trou¬
bled life.
At the time Frost visited our class,
Parini reveals, he was still mourning the
death of his daughter Maijorie in 1934, was
caring for his seriously ill wife, Elinor, who
died in 1938, and was concerned over the
mental health of other family members,
including a son who later committed sui¬
cide. Frost had been on a series of tiring
Robert Frost in Ripton
lecture trips and was diagnosed with “nerv¬
ous exhaustion;” all this in addition to the
despair and anxiety he had suffered for
most of his life.
Despite problems which would have
overwhelmed most people, Frost led a
highly productive life for another quarter
century, and we came to realize that, back
in that classroom, we had indeed been in
the presence of an American treasure.
This summer, Frost’s poem “Mending
Wall,” was cited by opponents on both sides
of an ongoing controversy in New Jersey
over public access to ocean beaches. One
beach in particular, a long-time gathering
place for Midd students and their families,
was recently sold to developers, who
promptly fenced it off and began to build
multimillion dollar homes on the dunes.
A letter writer to an area newspaper,
trying to justify the actions of the develop¬
ers, quoted Frost’s well-known line, “Good
fences make good neighbors.”
Not so fast, wrote another letter writer,
read on. Frost’s personal opinion on fences
was more likely to be found in what fol¬
lowed:
“Before I built a wall I’d ask to know/
What I was walling in or walling out, / And
to whom I was like to give offence./
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall./
That wants it down.”
Would Robert Frost, the walker, take
down the fences so he could better “hear
the breakers’ sullen roar,” as he once wrote?
Who knows? Don’t draw too many con¬
clusions from my poetry, he often said.
Marshall Sewell '37
Whiting, NJ
Cost of Education
President McCardell’s letter was certainly a
disappointment. It was mostly about build¬
ings and little to do with education. Mosdy
I was disappointed that he did not address
the escalating cost of a Middlebury educa¬
tion. When I entered in 1950, the costs
were in the hundreds of dollars and the
endowment was $10 million. It was one of
the more affordable, small liberal arts col¬
leges in the Northeast. Currendy it stands
as one of the most expensive. Every year in
my memory costs have risen more than the
rate of inflation.
I am quite sure that when adjusted for
inflation, costs have more than doubled and
am equally sure that the current quality of
education is not twice as good as the excel¬
lent one I received.
Hart Peterson M.D. '54
Scituate, MA
Restore Midd-Norwich
Football
I noted (Spring 1999 edition) with some
interest that the Middlebury Panther foot¬
ball team will be playing an exhibition
game in France over Thanksgiving week, in
late November 1999. Playing this game
gives rise to another issue: why we ever
stopped playing Norwich, which was tradi¬
tionally the last game of the season for both
teams. The “official” word from both the
Middlebury and Northfield campuses is
that Middlebury’s entry into their current
league doesn’t permit another game, partic¬
ularly a nonleague game. So be it—rules are
rules, even if they are dumb, and even if
they mean the end of a long, spirited cross¬
state rivalry. But if Middlebury can play an
exhibition game in France in late
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November, why can’t they play an exhibi¬
tion game with Norwich in early or mid-
November, in either Middlebury or
Northfield? Lots of Vermonters miss the
traditional wrap-up of the Vermont college
football season.
The continuation of the Middlebury-
Norwich football rivalry should be a top
priority for both schools. If league rules get
in the way, call it an exhibition game, and
play it for a deserving Vermont charity. Call
it anything you want, but get the game
going again!
Edward A. Miller Jr. ’70
Northfield , VT
She Set High Medical
Standards
Turning sadly from the battle of semantics
in your summer issue 1999,1 was delighted
to read the class notes of the Class of 1922.
I also congratulate Carolyne Hayward Reed
on her birthday this past Saint Patricks
Day. And I know well the 97th General
Hospital in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.
First, it was heart warming to see that
Carolyne Reed had seved as an army nurse
in the Second World War. As a member of
the Middlebury Class of 1922, she had to
be quite a senior nurse—a major or lieu¬
tenant colonel perhaps. As so many
Middlebury alumni did in that war (as evi¬
denced by the frequent mention of such
service in the obituaries), she did
Middlebury proud. Second, Carolyne
Reed’s influence was probably still being
felt at the 97th General Hospital in 1952
when I took a preliminary step which
eventually led me to Middlebury. It was
there that I flunked four parts of the physi¬
cal examination for entrance to the United
States Military Academy. By identifying dis¬
qualifications early, I was able to remedy
4 Middlebury Magazine
them and enter West Point. In the 1960s I
received my M.A. from Middlebury and
returned to teach German at the Military
Academy Thank you, Carolyne Reed—for
your World War II service and for helping
set high medical standards.
Ray Bell
M.A. German ’66
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
Reservations about Lovers
I came upon the discussion for the first
time reading the letters to the editor in the
summer issue of the magazine. So though I
didn’t see the writings that came before, I
think I can sympathize with the editors
reservations about the word “lover.”
I find “lover” problematic, as apparently
the editor did, because it clearly has strong
associations of an illicit, purely sexual rela¬
tionship. A married man, or woman, mar¬
ried or not, took a lover. We Gay people
have an uphill battle in teaching the het¬
erosexual majority that our identities have
sexual components, just as theirs do, but just
like the majority, we are about much more
than sex. We are human beings first, and it
is a gross distortion to reduce us to our sex¬
ual identities.
And so what word to use to name our
long-term sexual and emotional compan¬
ionships? Let it be “partner” most of the
time, sterile as that sounds, until someone
develops a fitting new word, and “lover”
among those who use the word without
the negative associations. (Maybe we
should look to foreign languages for inspi¬
ration; right now I’m thinking of the
Spanish word pareja , which means
pair/couple and partner in the sense of a
dance partner.) And most important, let the
use of the word QUEER disappear.
Regrettably it’s become a favorite among
academics. But no matter how much you
use it, you will not lose its pain.
John T. Moran
M.A. Spanish ’70
Jackson Heights, NY
P.S. My companion and I will observe the
eighth anniversary of our first meeting in
1 )ecember.Who can tell me when we’ll be
able to say “anniversary of our marriage?”
Treasures of Deceit: Archaeology
and the Forger’s Craft
September 14-Octobcr 3 1
Horatio Greenough:
An American Sculptor’s
Drawings
September 14-December 12
Student Video Productions
November 16-December 12
Music From China
November 13
Our Town
By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Claudio
Medeiros '90
October 28-31
The Clerks 5
Group
November 17
Emmanuel
Pahud, flute
Eric LeSage,
piano
October 30
Middlebury College Orchestra
Evan Bennett, Conductor
October 29 & December 3
Middlebury College Chamber
Soloists
20th-Century Americans in Paris
November 19
The Rover or The
Banish’d Cavalier
By Aphra Behn
Directed by Cheryl
Faraone
December 9-11
Please visit the Center for the Arts online
for updated information on these events
and more: www.middlebury.edu/~cfa
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Sex Implicit in Weddings,
Births
In 1992,1 married a member of the oppo¬
site sex in a state-sanctioned ceremony, and
my marriage was recorded in the pages of
Middlebury Magazine. I admit that while I
did not marry in order to have sex, I have
had an ongoing sexual relationship with my
husband. I guess that I am blessed that the
terms “marriage” and “husband” are both
available to me and deemed sufficiendy
inoffensive to cover up this aspect of our
relationship. The guidelines by which the
magazine is attempting to protect its read¬
ers should preclude any future reporting of
weddings and most certainly preclude
reporting on the birth of children con¬
ceived in the traditional manner.
It is painful enough to listen to politi¬
cians attempt to legislate against committed
relationships (I don’t need my marriage
“defended”)—does the alumni magazine
have to insult its readers? All alumni should
be treated with equal consideration.
Jessie Saacke ’84
Cambridge, MA
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Discourteous or Obtuse?
I am writing to add my voice to the cho¬
rus of protests in the Summer 1999 edition
of Middlebury Magazine in response to your
handling of Paul Cody’s letter and its use of
the terms lover and co-parent. Perhaps even
more troubling to me than your original
editorial choice not to print these terms—
offensive as that choice was—was your
unapologetic, discourteous, and utterly
unjustifiable response to his letter of com¬
plaint; this was a classic case of adding insult
to injury. The specious distinction you
made in that response between editing
words and editing lifestyles was clearly
either disingenuous or obtuse. In neither
case was it worthy of the editor of the
alumni magazine of a college that prides
itself on excellence in the liberal arts.
Christopher Rivers
M.A. French ’84
Granby, MA
Editor’s Note:
We have heard from many of you on this
issue, both through letters to the editor and
through phone calls and visits. There has
been almost unanimous agreement that
6 Middlebury Magazine
people should be free to call their signifi¬
cant others “lovers” if they so choose.
Discussions with class secretaries, who are
on the front line of class notes submissions,
produces the same opinion. Language
evolves, and so do we. Henceforth “lovers”
are welcome in this magazine. Christening
the new class notes editorial policy is
Michael Culp, who writes, “Given the
recent controversy over committed same-
sex relationships, I would be remiss (not to
mention complicit) if I did not send in the
following submission for the alumni class
notes.
T. Michael Culp ’82 is a naturopathic
physician living in Asheville, NC, with his
lover, Jason Watson. Michael works for
Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory and
travels around the country lecturing about
functional medicine to other physicians. He
also has a small family medical practice and
writes a regular column for Healthy Living
magazine. His e-mail address is Michael
Culp@gsdl.com.
Disgruntled By Makeover
There is much that is wonderful and good
about Middlebury College, and I cherished
my time there under the tutelage of such
great professors as John Elder, Steve
Trombulak (who was poorly profiled in the
last issue), Bill Hart, and Janine Clookey,but
there is also something pathological and
frightening about this place that I love. It
measures success by family trees that
include 22 graduates. That a college could
pride itself on blemishing the landscape of
a small, Vermont town (see Northern
Exposure , Summer ’99) and proudly include
a photograph of two students in a sport
utility vehicle zooming toward the scar that
is the new science facility is a sad commen¬
tary on the values of this changing institu¬
tion. The caption to that photograph said,
with annoying arrogance, “All roads lead to
Middlebury.” It should have said you can
now see Bicentennial Hall from nearly all
roads that lead to Middlebury. How smug
that Sarah Varney’s [sic, Beth Whitney ’95]
quaint portrayal of the Addison County
Field Days should say, “...[D]on’t skip the
Ferris wheel; it has a view to beat any other ;
in the county (presuming that we’ll be
asked to keep off the roof of the new sci¬
ence center, that is).”
(Continued on page 90) 1
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BY THE NUMBERS
AMERICA'S
BEST COLLEGES
US. News & World Report
named Midd 5th among
national liberal arts colleges,
up two spots from last year, and
the highest the College has
ever ranked.
BEST COLLEGES
FOR WOMEN
ATHLETES
Sports Illustrated for Women
ranked Midd 3rd among
Division III schools.
BEST COLLEGE
MAGAZINE
Middlebury Magazine was
named 2nd in a national com¬
petition of college and univer¬
sity magazines by the Council
for the Advancement and
Support of Education.
THE IVY AWARD
19 9 9
The Ivy Award for Outstanding
Dining Services
R&I Magazine
Middlebury is the only liberal
arts college or university in the
country to receive this award.
BEST VALUES
U.S. News & World Report
calculates cost and financial
aid against the magazines own
quality rankings of colleges and
universities.
Is Hate a
Crime?
ead Chapel was full
up to the balcony
with students, faculty,
and staff eager to hear the
wunderkind of American jour¬
nalism talk about hate. Andrew
Sullivan, known equally for his
brilliance and for his contro¬
versial opinions, spoke as part
of a two-day visit under the
Twilight Scholars Program.
His academic bonafides were
impressive (honors from
Oxford, Ph.D from Harvard),
as was his experience as a
writer, editor, and public policy
pundit (youngest-ever editor
of the New Republic , currently
contributing editor to the New
York Times Magazine, and
author of several books).
While at Harvard, Sullivan
met and became friends with
associate professor of political
science Allison Stanger. She
confided, as she introduced
him to the crowd at Mead,
that shed actually had a crush
on him when she first met
him, before she realized he
was “batting for the other
team.”The Seinfeld reference
evoked chuckles.
Which brought to the fore
Sullivan s particular slant on
the subject at hand. Sullivan
is gay Famously gay. He has
talked about his homosexuali¬
ty and written about it exten¬
sively. Middlebury was anxious
to hear his views, since the
College has been grappling
with issues of diversity as they
manifest themselves in both
the curriculum and in the
civility of life on the campus.
Recently the bulletin boards
for Middlebury s Open Queer
Alliance (moqa), Feminist
Action at Middlebury
(FAM), and the African
American Alliance (AAA)
had been vandalized, and
in response the chaplain’s
office sponsored a “Stop the
Hate Vigil,” so the topic
of bigotry and hate was of
more than academic interest.
Sullivan knows hate like
Eskimos know snow. He has
studied it in all its forms and
gradations—hate emanating
from knowledge and hate
emanating from ignorance;
obsessive hate, hysterical
hate, and narcissistic hate;
group hatred and individual
hatred; political hatred and
personal hatred.
But when Sullivan asked
rhetorically: “What can we do
about hate?” His answer, “Not
much,” disappointed some. “It
is an integral part of human
nature,” he continued. “You
can’t ultimately change the
visceral response people have
to you.”
Not that Sullivan doesn’t
believe in strict equality under
the law. He does. He’s an
activist in lobbying for equali¬
ty for gays in the military and
for gay marriage. But he was
careful to draw the distinction
between institutionalized
hatred as witnessed in Serbia,
Nazi Germany, or Rwanda,
and personal hatred.
Some examples of“hate
crimes,” he said, weren’t that at
all, but simply bursts of anger
or one-time stupidities on the
part of basically decent people.
Some in the audience at
x
Andrew Sullivan: "The right of the bigot is
the right of the drag queen."
Mead listened skeptically as
Sullivan contended that if
people want to be racist or
sexist or homophobic in their
personal lives, that is their
perogative.
“The right of the bigot is
the right of the drag queen,”
he said, illustrating with some
levity his belief that more leg¬
islation is not the answer.
“Hatred can’t be stopped.
It’s in all of us. It can only be
overcome. We can try and per¬
suade others by faith and love,
but we will at some point fail.
We have to, at some point, let
it go.”
8 Middlebury Magazine
Photographs by Alan Jakubek
Stone by
Stone
ieter Broucke, an
assistant professor ot his¬
tory of art and architec¬
ture, stands before a crowd of
nearly 40 students and faculty
in the Wonnacott Commons
living room to talk about a
project dear to his heart. The
Belgian-born Broucke began
a love affair with Greece (and
with archaeology) nearly 20
years ago as an architecture
student, and he was thrilled to
be able to bring Middlebury
students to Greece last summer,
and to bring Greece to Mid¬
dlebury tonight.
Slides of Greece flash by,
a map of a mountain, an exca¬
vation site at Messene, huge
blocks of a ruined temple, and
the happy faces of an archaeol¬
ogy team (including four Mid¬
dlebury students) that worked
with Broucke for four weeks
last summer on the Messene
Reconstruction Project.
Broucke and Frederick
Cooper (University of Min¬
nesota), codirectors of this
archaeological site at Messene,
are in the process of physically
reconstructing a building
known as a heroon , or hero
shrine. Though they are now
joining stone to stone, before
they got to this point, the
building had to be put togeth¬
er on paper. For this, Brouckes
experience in architectural
design came in handy—he
holds a professional degree in
Top: Codirectors of the
site, Professor Pieter
Broucke (right) and
Frederick Cooper.
Left: The crew, with
the reconstructed facade
on the ground awaiting
re-erection.
Bottom: The Arcadian
Gate at Messene.
architecture from Ghent,
Belgium, as well as an M.A. in
archaeology from the Universi¬
ty of Minnesota and an M.A.
and a Ph.D. in art history from
Yale University.
Since most of the blocks
have strayed far from their
original locations, a team of
workers is crucial to the
reassembly. This team included
Mark Bassett ’99, Quinn Ray¬
mond ’00, Katherine Curtis
’00, and Brian Quiros ’00, who
joined Broucke last summer as
part of MiRA (Middlebury
Research in Archaeology).The
team sorted and
catalogued each
block, then stored
them in rows called
block fields around
the temple site.
Slides during the
Wonnacott presen¬
tation demonstrated
their hard labor
locating blocks
from the block field
and moving them,
suspended by means of an
elaborate strapping system from
the front of a bulldozer, to the
reconstruction site.
“It was a physically
demanding, mentally challeng¬
ing, emotionally straining
experience,” Mark Bassett says.
“And absolutely amazing. I
loved it.”
Students received one aca¬
demic credit for this five-week
experience. Broucke admits the
20-hour days constitute “a very
hard-earned credit.” though an
extremely valuable experience
because the project gives stu¬
dents the opportunity “to get
involved with Greek architec¬
ture in a way that cannot be
done in the classroom,” said
Broucke. “And they get to
know students from other
institutions; this summer they
joined students from Notre
Dame, the University of Min¬
nesota, and Columbia Univer¬
sity.
The Messene Project will
continue in upcoming sum¬
mers, and Broucke hopes to
take another group of interest¬
ed Middlebury students with
him to continue this
six-year labor of
love.
“Twenty years
ago I went to
Greece and it
changed my life. I’m
so happy to see that
experience happen
again, to these stu¬
dents.”
For more information,
contact Professor Broucke at
broucke@middlebury.edu
Fail
9
UPHILL
U nhil
m
ONE DAY IN OCTOBER
AST SPRING students in the Mountain Club had a crazy
idea. They wanted to celebrate the upcoming bicentennial
in a different way, a Mountain Club way Why not,
they proposed to the Bicentennial Steering Commitee, get
Middlebury students, alumni, faculty, and staff to climb, on
one day, each of the 50 peaks higher than 4,000 feet in the
Adirondacks and Green Mountains. If this thing took off, they
thought as many as 200 climbers might take to the mountains.
Several months and several hundred phone calls and e-mails
later, over 400 climbers in Vermont and New York and 100
Middlebury people in 24 countries on 6 continents laced up
their hiking boots and climbed a peak for Middlebury. Though
the day was chilly in the Northeast and some peaks were
fog-bound, the hikes were a resounding success.
Kate Webber Punderson ’94, adviser to this extravaganza,
marveled at the response. “We got calls from people around the
world,” she says. “It far exceeded our expectations.” Alums and
students hiked in Ecuador and Hong Kong, Israel and Morocco.
Thomas Murray ’91 hiked up Mt. Omul in Romania, and
Miranda Hillyard ’01, who is studying abroad, climbed Castle
Hill in Australia.
Punderson credits the students in the Mountain Club, par¬
ticularly Emily Howe ’01 and Jeff Phillippe ’01, who had the
idea and pushed it forward. Mountain Club students led each
hike in Vermont and New York, carrying with them a disposable
camera to record Midds on 50 summits on one day in October.
Photo above: W. Storrrs Lee ’28 took this photograph of his classmates
at the ridge of Mount Mansfield. Expressing enthusiasm about this
event, Lee wrote, “Approaching a 94th birthday, I would prove to be
an impediment to even a group ascension of Chipman Hill, but as
photographic contributor to the extravaganza, and one of the founders
of Middlebury’s Mountain Club, perhaps I should be en titled to receipt
of a souvenir medium sized T-shirt?”
NEW MIDD KIDS ON THE BLOCK
NUMBER APPLIED
4,865 (10% increase)
PERCENT ACCEPTED
26% (31% last year)
NUMBER ADMITTED
1,244 (10% decrease)
AVERAGE COMBINED
SAT
1,390 (1,380 last year)
STUDENTS OF COLOR
93 (82 last year)
FOREIGN NATIONALS
59 (40 last year)
STATES REPRESENTED
44 (43 last year)
COUNTRIES
REPRESENTED
32 (28 last year)
TOP 5 OVERLAP
SCHOOLS
1. Dartmouth (Dartmouth)
2. Brown (Williams)
3. Amherst (Amherst)
4. Williams (Georgetown)
5. Georgetown (Wesleyan)
SPECIAL TALENTS
■ Actor Toby Lawless ’03
appeared in Ten Things I Hate
About You , three Disney films,
Northern Exposure and Bill Nye
the Science Guy.
■ Katherine Hoeschler ’03
is a two-time World Champ
birler (a birler stands on and
“rolls” a cedar log floadng in
the water while attempting to
dislodge her competitor).
■ Gourmet chefs Jamie Davis
’03 and John Prescott ’03 have
both attended culinary insti¬
tutes and their original recipes
appear in cookbooks.
RECOLLECTIONS
1901: NEW SCIENCE CENTER OPENS
o Citizens and Friends of the college. The new
Science Hall of Middlebury College, erected and
furnished at a cost of $82,500 by Ezra J. Warner of
Chicago, is nearly completed. Before moving the apparatus
into the building there is to be a formal opening today. From
8 to 10 this evening all the rooms in the building will be
lighted and thrown open to the public. All the citizens of the
village and friends of the college are cordially invited to visit
the building at that time, when the uses of the various rooms
and furniture will be explained by the heads of the several
departments for whose use the building is provided.
—President Ezra Brainerd, from an article in the Middlebury
Register, November 15, 1901
-From The College on the Hill by David Bain
10 Middlebury Magazine
For Tim
the Bell Tolls
ucture this: Tim
'Bartlett ’98 at 12 years
of age, walking with
his father down a street in
Winchester, England. Suddenly
he is overwhelmed by an
incredible sound from above.
“Change ringing,” his
father explains.“Its an old art —
a special kind of bell-ringing, a
sort of sport.” Pan up to bell-
tower, where a complex sound
emerges. Fade out.
Fade in, 10 years later.Tim
is now a Watson fellow, toting a
camera through the streets and
country roads of Britain, on a
quest to understand and docu¬
ment change ringing. A young
London bell-ringer smiles into
Tim’s camera,“I wake up, I
ring, take a break, ring some
more, and then go to the pub.
If I’m not ringing. I’m drink¬
ing.” Is this an art? A sport?
A lifestyle?
Bartlett has just returned
from a year in England, having
recorded 70 videotapes which
he is now editing, and he recent¬
ly spoke to the Middlebury
community about his experi¬
ence and the documentary he
hopes to make about change
ringing.
The first question everyone
has for Tim is, What’s change
ringing? The American stereo¬
type of ringing chapel bells
involves bells ringing the hour,
or keyboards playing melodies.
This American-style bell-ring¬
ing is most emphatically not
change ringing.
To perform change ring¬
ing, a great deal of strength,
agility, and endurance is
required of the ringers, who
stand in a circle, pulling long
ropes that clang the huge bells
high above in the tower. The
bells, which weigh up to two
tons apiece, are cast in sets of
four and up, with the number
of possible ringing permuta¬
tions being directly propor¬
tionate to the number of bells
in the set. Ringers may ring
a “full peal,” which is three
uninterrupted hours of ringing
a nonrepeating musical
sequence, or a half- or quarter-
peal. The musical sequence
is not based on melody, but
rather on mathematical
patterns.
P HOTOliRAPH BY A L A N J AKUBEK
Fall 11
Getting Reel
THE MEDIUM'S
THE MESSAGE
BY KIM ASCH
W HAT A PERFECT DAY
FOR A MOVIE. It has
been raining all
afternoon—a long, cold, steady
bone-soaking rain, and students
in hooded jackets cross campus
silently, heads bent against the
weather. They arrive in
Sunderland 110, which has an
oversized video monitor built
into the front wall, and wait
for the show to begin. But
wait, the aroma of popcorn is
conspicuously absent. And
there’s a professor down in
front, standing before a podi¬
um. Better check your ticket,
because if you think this class
is pure entertainment, you’re in
the wrong place. Though soon
the lights will go down and a
film will roll, there’s also plenty
of reading, critical analysis, and
discussion of complex ideas in
Masterworks of American
Cinema, taught by Ted Perry,
Fletcher Professor of the Arts
and professor in the department
of theatre, dance, and film/video.
“We approach films like
literature,” Perry explains. “I
choose American films that I
feel are works of art, that have
substance and are important.”
Few of the films to be
studied over the course of the
Professor Ted Perry: "Students are a lot more visually literate than they were
20 years ago."
semester were made after
1970. Some are silent, many
aren’t in color, and only a
couple have titles students
recognize. For today’s under¬
graduates, most of whom can’t
remember a time before
VCRs, video games, MTV, and
remote control, the early clas¬
sics are a shock to the senses.
“I think people were sur¬
prised when Charlie Chaplin
came on in black and white
with no sound. Everybody was
like, ugghh ,” says Craig Hine
’02, an English major.
“I think they were expect¬
ing, like, Top Gun” adds Mike
Mahony ’02, a computer
science major.
“Students are a lot more
visually literate than they
were 20 years ago,” says Perry.
“They’re able to process
images more quickly and take
in more informadon in a
shorter period of time.”
He teaches them to sus¬
pend their expectations, to
slow down and appreciate
older films that “contain less
visual information frame by
frame,” but that have “better
stories, better characters, and
better dialogue because they’re
written by people who are
writers, rather than by people
who work for MTV”
“Mr. Perry aided in my
understanding of movies,” says
senior Suhaas Ahuja, who took
the class in the fall of’98. “The
way he did that was to nullify
my concept of what a movie
is. What is a movie besides an
idea? If I want to fully under¬
stand an idea outside myself,
I have to suspend myself first.
Mr. Perry showed me a door
through which I could get
outside myself.”
Today’s lecture is about
Buster Keaton as existentialist,
materialist, foolish optimist,
and surrealist: “a figure of
12 Middlebury Magazine
Photograph by Alan Jakubek
modernity.” It seems appropri¬
ate that the professor uses the
latest in classroom technology
to enhance his teaching. The
big monitor in the wall shows
an enlarged version of Perry’s
laptop computer screen. He
goes to the Web site he created
for the course and clicks on
the lesson plan for today. As he
alludes to various points in
Sherlock, Jr., Perry clicks on the
film clips he posted on the site,
while students watch the action
unfold up on the monitor.
There’s Keaton, riding a
falling ladder off the roof of a
building and landing gracefully,
miraculously, in the seat of a
moving convertible. There he
is again, with his girl in a sink¬
ing car, raising the convertible
top like a sail and spending the
last few, dry minutes cuddling
and admiring the view.
Keaton, Perry says, is the
epitome of existentialism, or
the belief that “we should gen¬
erate our own value, not one
that is handed to us.”
“I sense that more than
any other comedian he under¬
stands the darkness of life, the
meaninglessness of life, but he
keeps on going with this
incredible sense that he’s not
going to be put down,” Perry
says. “The aspect of the human
condition that Keaton seems
over and over again to empha¬
size is facing difficulty and
coining up with ways to con¬
front it.”
Students can review the
lecture simply by calling up the
course Web site, where the syl¬
labus and clips from upcoming
movies are also posted. Mahony
and Hine spent a recent night
analyzing Keaton clips and try¬
ing to figure out how he pulled
off his stunts.
“I like the Keaton movies,”
Mahony says. “They’re inspir¬
ing because they’re able to do
so much with so little.”
Attendance is mandatory at
Tuesday night screenings in
Twilight Auditorium. Watching
a movie on a video monitor is
not an acceptable substitute for
watching it on a big screen.
“I want them to see the
films as they were originally
intended to be seen,” Perry
says, adding that he wouldn’t
expect an art history professor
to allow students to skip the
museum and look at reproduc¬
tions of the paintings in a
book. “I’ve given my life to
this, so I don’t want them to
be blase about it.”
Before coming to
Middlebury College in 1978,
Perry was the director of the
film department at the
Museum of Modern Art in
New York City and chair of
cinema studies at New York
University. He taught at
SUNY Purchase, Harvard
University, the University of
Texas at Austin, and at the
University of Iowa (where he
received his Ph.D.). For 10
years he was a trustee of the
American Film Institute.
Later in the semester, Perry
will reintroduce his class to a
childhood favorite, The Wizard
of Oz, examining myths and
archetypal characters, and
studying the film’s various
themes—great lessons that
must be learned, the idea of
home, the recognition of our
deepest needs to be accepted
and loved. They’ll also learn
about the historical context
that informs the story, which
some say is an allegory for the
plight of the American farmer.
“In order to frilly under¬
stand the narrative, students
need to know that L. Frank
Baum, the man who wrote the
book the movie is based on,
was a populist with a distrust of
Washington politicians and East
Coast corporations,” Perry says.
Students also read a 70-
page analysis of the Wizard of
Oz by Salman Rushdie, the
internationally renowned
author who was in exile for
over a decade. Ahuja recalls
that Rushdie “writes about
how Dorothy comes back
from this world of color to a
place, Kansas, that’s black and
white and all she can say is,
‘There’s no place like home.’
Rushdie wonders why home
would be more important than
the joy of life and color,”
drawing parallels with the
immigrant experience (and
perhaps with Rushdie’s experi¬
ence as an exile), and suggest¬
ing that perhaps home is a state
of mind.
The class also studies film
noir classics from the 1940s,
such as Billy Wilder’s Double
Indemnity and Howard Hawks’s
The Big Sleep, thrillers from the
1950s, like Alfred Hitchcock’s
Rear Window and Orson Welles’s
Touch of Evil, and The Searchers,
a 1956 Western directed by
John Ford and starring John
Wayne.
More recent titles include
Zabriskie Point, 1970, a drama
directed by Michelangelo
Antonioni; Raging Bull, 1980,
Martin Scorcese’s scorching
portrait of a boxer; and 77te
Godfather Part II, 1974, Francis
Ford Coppola’s sequel to the
Mafia family saga, which is
studied as a reflection of “post-
Vietnam cynicism” and “the
rise of capitalism in American
society.”
As director of the film-
video studies department,
Perry has also had a lot of suc¬
cess arranging internships for
the majors in his department,
and over the years a number
of alumni have distinguished
themselves in Hollywood.
“It’s our guerrilla move¬
ment,” Perry says of the
Hollywood-Midd contin¬
gent. “If we want to change
the industry” he explains, “we
can’t just make better viewers,
we have to get people in key
positions,” which includes
cinematographer Gretchen
Widmer ’88; Mimi Polk Gitlin
’81, who produced White
Squall; and Michael Tolkin ’74,
who wrote The Player, wrote
and directed The Rapture, and
cowrote Deep Impact.
And as for making better
viewers, Hine says the course
has given him a new apprecia¬
tion: “I won’t just walk by the
oldies section at Blockbuster
anymore,” he says.
Kim Asch is a writer living in
Bi / rlington, Vertnont.
Some say The Wizard of Oz
is an allegory about the plight
of the American farmer.
Fall 13
The LongView
VERMONT'S LAND
AND THE PEOPLE
WHO CALL IT HOME
BY DON MITCHELL
T he Story of Vermont
(Middlebury College
Press/University Press of
New England), by Christopher
McGrory Klyza and Stephen
C. Trombulak, seems destined
to become required reading for
serious students of the Green
Mountain State—people
whose curiosity about the state
extends beyond the familiar
surfaces Vermont presents to
the world. No cute photo¬
graphs of boiling maple syrup
here, no tales of Ben and Jerry.
The book demands intelligent
and thoughtful readers, curious
like its authors are as to how
the present detente between
the states human culture and
its natural environment came
to exist. The “story” is, ulti¬
mately, one of considerable re¬
cent success with at least the
chance for a truly happy end¬
ing. But there’s lots of conflict
too; the white Europeans who
came to tame the wild country
north of Massachusetts and
south of Quebec were untrou¬
bled exploiters of the landscape
on behalf of narrowly con¬
ceived and remarkably short¬
sighted ends. The evolution of
an environmental consciousness
in modern-day Vermont is
therefore worthy of investiga¬
tion, along with the conse¬
quences of that perspective
for the various “ecological
The history of human culture in Vermont stretches back for several thousand
years of the landscape's habitation by Paleoindian, Archaic, and Woodland
peoples, followed by Abenaki and then, in the very recent past, white Europeans.
communities” of which the
state is composed.
Various other “Vermont
books” in recent years have at¬
tempted to paint a verbal por¬
trait of the state, considering
the forces that have shaped the
landscape’s physical characteris-
rics and its human culture’s
idiosyncratic traits. Both these
qualities—with which mem¬
bers of the Middlebury family
are well familiar—have made
the state reliably satisfying to
native residents, newly settled
“furriners,” and short-duration
transients alike. But Tlw Story of
Vermont is unique among its
peer volumes in the following
three important ways, each of
which has to do with offering
readers a richer set of contexts
14 Middlebury Magazine
Photograph by Luke Powell
from which the state’s present
situation can be examined.
First, Klyza and Trombu-
lak’s book relentlessly enforces
the perspective of geologic
time, in which the events of
the past few centuries of Euro¬
pean settlement are dwarfed by
detailed presentation of a vastly
more expansive natural history.
Christopher McGrory Klyza, associate
professor of political science and
environmental studies, and Stephen
Trombulak, professor of biology and
environmental studies, are expanding
our view of Vermont.
For those accustomed to
thinking of Ethan Allens raid
on FortTiconderoga as an im¬
portant event in Vermont’s
early history (over 200 years
ago!), the contemplation of
thousands of millions of years
of natural history is apt to be
dizzying. And sobering as well,
making our obsession with
events of the recent past and
our present era seem self-ab¬
sorbed and puny.
Second, The Story of Vermont
consistently asks the reader
to understand “Vermont”—a
very recent and far-from-
inevitable geographical and
political construct—as only a
small part of the much wider
Greater Laurentian region, to
which the state’s landforms and
flora and fauna appropriately
belong.This “bioregional” per¬
spective is ably reinforced by a
striking series of maps created
with GIS (Geographic Infor¬
mation System) technology
that renders the contours of
mountains, lakes, and rivers
in startling relief. Like a micro¬
scope shifting between differ¬
ent lenses of varying powers, a
composite view emerges of
History is more than
dates and events.
Chocolate
Sleigh Ride
David Bain’s fresh account of Middlebury’s history, “The College
on the Hill,” emphasizes the personal point of view. The result is
a rich understanding of the story of Middlebury and the individ¬
uals who shaped it over 200 years.
9" X 12"; 464 pp; over 600 photos
To place an order, call the College Store
at 802-443-3036 or mail a check to
College Store, Middlebury College,
Middlebury, VT 05753. The price is
$29.95 through Dec. 31, 1999, and
$35.00 thereafter. Add $5.00 for
shipping and handling charges.
Published by Middlebury College on the
occasion of its Bicentennial.
This keepsake sleigh over¬
flows with irresistible Lake
Champlain Chocolates,
handcrafted in small batches with Belgian chocolate. Vermont
cream, and sweet butter. Enjoy our famous Five-Star Bars, a
Gift Box of flavorful Chocolate Thins, legendary Chocolates of
Vermont and rapturous Truffles—guaranteed to delight all
those who receive! 15 oz. $35 plus SScH. FREE gift with pur¬
chase. FREE catalog.
Call toll-free: 1-800-465-5909
Corporate Gift Progam: Contact Heather Pierce Kingston ’86
(heather@lakechamplainchocolate.com)
Visit our Factory Store: 750 Pine Street
Burlington. VT 05401
www.lakechamplainchocolate.com
Lake Champlain
CHOCOLATES
Fall 15
Experience Fine New England Elegance!
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BROOKSIDE FARMS
C ome join us at Brookside Farms,
a restored 1789 farmhouse & 1843
Creek Revival mansion, both with
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the ways in which the state
both is and is not unique
within the wider region that
contains it.
Insofar as Vermont is
unique, much of the cause
can be laid to the history of
human culture here—human
culture stretching back for
several thousand years of the
landscape’s habitation by
Paleoindian, Archaic, and
Woodland peoples, followed
by Abenaki and then, in the
very recent past, white Euro¬
peans. The Story of Vermont is
admirably focused on this third
specific context from which
readers are challenged to
understand and view the state:
the dynamic interaction
between human beings in
Vermont—their evolving goals
and aspirations, their shifting
patterns of settlement and
means of eking out a living—
and the natural resources that
have surrounded them and
changed with them throughout
this long odyssey The
impact of human cultural
history upon natural history
has steadily snowballed, to the
point where human choices
today are a primary determi¬
nant of the quality of Vermont’s
natural environment for many
years to come. The authors
ALSO NOTED
Before Life
Hurries On
SABRA FIELD '57 AND JENEPHER LINGELBACH
SIMPLE COLLECTION of a dozen short, meditative
poems written by Jenepher Lingelbach and illustrated
with original woodcuts by Sabra Harwood Field ’57,
Before Life Hurries On is a treasure for both its beauty and the
act of reflection it enjoins the reader to undergo. Lingelbach
first wrote poems on such subjects as Morning Pond,
November Fog, Otters, or Witerfall—natural scenes that were
part of her experience living in Vermont. Field then created
scenes in response to the poems. The book ends with a section
entitled “Origins of the Book,” in which the two women
explain the event or memory that led to their creations. Before
Life Hurries On is published by University Press of New
England.
16 Middlebury Magazini
set forth a range of possible
scenarios and urge that we
choose wisely.
The Story of Vermont also
provides a compelling glimpse
at why environmental studies
has become, in recent years, an
especially popular major at
Middlebury. Coauthored by
two professors long associated
with the environmental science
program—Klyza is a political
scientist, and Trombulak a
biologist—their synergistic
approach to this subject nicely
models the multidisciplinary
style for which environmental
studies at Middlebury has
become well known. Remark¬
able, too, is the fact that this
book-length narrative manages
to range over such abstruse
topics as global plate tectonics,
biodiversity, industrial history,
and the politics of conserva¬
tion, yet the book reads like
the product of a single author.
First in a series of Middlebury
Bicentennial books that will
address environmental topics
with a bioregional approach,
The Story of Vermont is a solid
achievement that foretells good
things to come.
Don Mitchell is a lecturer in the
English department.
Girls
on the Verge
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for other oddities of behavior such as the phenomenon known
as “sorority rush”—in her book entitled Girls on the Verge:
Debutante Dips , Drive-bys, and Other Initiations. The book
explores a variety of rites and rituals that young women
endured in the past and continue to go through in order to
feel accepted. Personal, humorous, and at times disturbing in its
revelations, Girls on the Verge probes the depths of timely ques¬
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Fall 17
BY KELLY KERNER
I N A YEAR in which the
admissions office set records
for number of applications,
nearly 4,900, and the quality of
applicants, average GPAs and
SATs somewhere near the
moon, the College continues
to be a collegiate sports rarity
Not only was 1998-1999 a
superb academic year, but it
goes in the books as the most
successful year in the history of
Middlebury College athletics.
Yes, quality academics can exist
in harmony with quality ath¬
letics.
For those of you who
missed it, here’s a brief review:
1998 started out with a bang
as field hockey won their first
NCAA championship with a
record of 17-1. Mens soccer
finished the regular season 13-
1 and made their fifth straight
NCAA appearance. Sustaining
the momentum, women’s cross
country finished the season
number one in New England
and number two nationally on
their way to the NESCAC
championship. Not to be out¬
done, womens volleyball, in
only its fifth year of intercolle¬
giate competition, made its
first NCAA appearance with
25 wins. Take a breath, we Ye
just getting started.
Winter rolled in and the
Panthers rolled on.Womens
Good Sports
SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
DOMINATE
hockey finished their season
with a school record 22 wins,
a fourth consecutive ECAC
championship (there was no
national championship tourna¬
ment until this coming year)
and a remarkable record of
72-0 in league play since its
inception. In a year in which
Bill Beaney thought he was
rebuilding the team, mens
hockey delivered its fifth con¬
secutive NCAA championship.
Skiing finished eighth at the
NCAA championships.
Finally, mens swimming fin¬
ished a school best fifth overall
at the NCAA championships.
Then the weather got hot¬
ter and so did Middlebury s
sports teams. Track and field
athlete, Kristy Laramee ’01 was
the Colleges first NCAA
champion in high jump.
Baseball made its first ever
post-season appearance in the
ECAC championships with a
school record 20 wins. Men’s
lacrosse went further than any
collegiate team in New
England history by finishing
second in the NCAA champi¬
onships. As the exclamation
point on the entire Panther
sports year. Missy Foote’s
women’s lacrosse team topped
it all off by winning their sec¬
ond NCAA championship in
three years with a record of
17-0, thus making it Missy’s
second NCAA championship
of the year (field hockey).
Add this all together and it
equals a second-place finish in
the Sears Director’s Cup, the
award (based solely on NCAA
competition) given annually by
the National Association of
Collegiate Directors of
Athletics to the best overall
collegiate athletics program in
the country.
Now go grab a Gatorade.
John Giannacopoulos '00, a two-sport All-American, has thrilled hockey
and soccer fans alike in his four years at Middlebury.
18 Middlebury Magazini
Photograph by Alan Jakubek
DOUBLE WHAMMY
J OHN Giannacopoulos,
a two-sport All-
American, is one of
those athletes who
leaves people gaping,
i “What the .... Did
1 you see that?”
Giannacopoulos
(Gino for short) is,
according to his soc¬
cer coach Dave
Saward, “simply the
best player I have
ever coached at taking
on a defender and beating
him, and at times humiliating
him. He has a center of gravity
which enables him to turn and
take a ball like no other player
at this level.”
Gino has amazed fans since
he first set foot on the field, or
set blade on the ice. His fresh¬
man year, Gino scored the
winning goal during
Middlebury s third NCAA
championship hockey final, an
historic moment for
Middlebury hockey and an
incredible introduction to col¬
lege for this young man from
Needham, Massachusetts.
“That was one of those
moments that I will always
remember,” he says. “There is
so much good about being an
athlete at Middlebury. I get to
play for the two best coaches I
have ever had; I am going to
school in ‘dreamland,’ and then
that goal happens. How can it
get any better?”
Well, it might not be get¬
ting any better, but it certainly
must have felt pretty good
when last year he scored the
winning goal during a soccer
game against Williams. Coach
Saward recalls, “Gino s brother
was playing as a freshman for
the Ephs, his whole family was
on the sidelines, and we were
fighting a very tough battle.
The game went into overtime.
With three minutes left in the
extra period, Gino beat a
defender, went one-on-one
with the keeper, and popped
in the game winner. That’s the
kind of effort and leadership
that you want demonstrated to
your younger players.”
For an athlete interested in
pursuing not only a quality
education, but two major
sports, Middlebury turned out
to be just the place for Gino.
“Middlebury was perfect for
me. It was a place where the
soccer coach and the hockey
coach not only got along, but
they worked together to get
players. When I see those
coaches at practice or in the
halls, I remember that they are
two people who really
believed in me and gave me a
chance. It’s an incredible
incentive to work extra hard.”
Gino has a simple equation
to pass on this legacy of suc¬
cess to new players. “You can’t
tell the younger kids what to
think or how to play; they’ll
respond to what you do, not
what you say. They’ve got to
see you set the example. That’s
what we’re about in the hock¬
ey program. We’re not just a
team, we are a tradition. Every
time we step on the ice, we
know we are going to win,
and passing on that attitude is
the key to our success.That’s
what Coach Beaney has done.
He’s taught us how to be flexi¬
ble, how to adjust, how to win.
He’s passed that on to us, and
it’s our job to pass it on to the
underclassmen. When you
think about it, that’s what
Middlebury teaches us: how to
think, how to analyze our
options, so we can go any¬
where and do anything.”
FOOTBALL
The team is off to a great start at 2-1, including a comeback
victory over Amherst 14-13. Senior quarterback John Wenner
is ranked 4th among NESCAC quarterbacks.
MEN'S SOCCER
The Panthers are looking for their sixth straight NCAA
Tournament appearance this season. The team is off to a great
start at 6-0-2. Senior John Giannacopoulos and first-year play¬
er Kyle Dezotell have been leading the team in scoring.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
The women’s soccer team is looking to return to the post-sea¬
son once again after an ECAC Tournament appearance in ’98
and a trip to the NCAA semifinals in ’97. The team has a
record of 6-2 early in the season, and is ranked 9th in New
England.
FIELD HOCKEY
The defending NCAA Champions are back on track after a
slow start.The team, ranked 3rd in New England, has a record
of 6-3. Leading the team in scoring are Nina Johnson’00,
Nahal Batmanghelidj ’02, and Sarah Theall ’01.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
After making an NCAA Tournament appearance last year in
their fifth year as a varsity sport, the Panthers are looking good
once again. The team, ranked 6th in New England, has a
match record of 10-3, and is led by Leslie Edwards ’01 and
Dawn Trowbridge ’00.
CROSS COUNTRY
The women’s team continues its winning ways during the
first part of the season. Ranked 2nd nationally, the Panthers
have become one of the dominant women’s teams in the
nation and will look to compete at the NCAAs once again
this season.The men’s team continues to improve and has seen
some great development through the first several races this
season, including a win at the Vermont State Championship.
GOLF
The golf team has grown by leaps and bounds over the past
few seasons. This fall they won the NESCAC Championship
and were led by rookie Damon Gacicia ’02, who was the
team’s top scorer and NESCAC champion.
TENNIS
The men’s team won two doubles brackets at its own
Middlebury Invitational Tournament. Will Parker ’00 and
Rick Morgan ’00 are headed to the Rolex national doubles
championship. The women’s team blanked Bates 9-0 in its
season opener. The Panther women have a successful fall
ahead of them, with eight head-to-head matches.
S-TJJ DENT
c e
A Shiver Runs
Through It
BY RACHEL MORTON
ir\ OES ANYONE ELSE
Shave SAND IN THEIR
WBr TEETH?” Courtney
Hess asks the three other first-
year students emerging slightly
damp and wrinkled from their
sleeping bags on the small
beach along the White River
in Randolph,Vermont. These
young people, and several oth¬
ers sleeping more sensibly
under a tarp, have spent the
past three days camping and
fishing and bonding as part of
their orientation to Middle-
bury. They’ve just spent a
week on campus, a week
packed with academic and
social activities, and now it’s
time to slow down and smell
the roses. Or in this case, the
fish. Under the auspices of
MOO (Middlebury Outdoor
Orientation), hundreds of stu¬
dents head out for the moun¬
tains and streams of Vermont.
Nate Johnson ’98, who
coordinates the orientation
program for the Office of the
Dean of Student Affairs, con¬
siders orientation to be the
foundation of the Middlebury
experience.
“We try hard to balance
the academic component and
the social component,” he says.
“What Middlebury does very
well during orientation week
is really hammer home the
notion of learning both within
20 Middlebury Magazine
only the soft patter of rain¬
drops on the wide flat river.
By 8:00 the next morning,
a weak sun burned the fog off
the White River as the MOO
group emerged, one by one,
from the soggy beach site and
from under tarps in the camp¬
ground (and, clandestinely,
and beyond the classroom.”
And taking them way beyond
the classroom is MOO.
Mike Snow, a junior and
coleader on the MOO’s fly¬
fishing trip, took his group of
eight students to Otter Creek,
Silver Lake, and the White
River for three days of fly-fish¬
ing and friend-making. Snow
is passionate about both the
outdoors and the group expe¬
rience the outdoors can pro¬
vide.
“Freshman year is so crazy,
especially in the beginning,” he
says. “It goes so fast. Going
hiking or camping or fishing
really slows it down.” After the
first day of fishing, his first-
years commented that time
seemed to have stopped. And
it’s not because they were mis¬
erable and wet and were not
catching fish.They were happy
as clams.
They were even happy last
night when they slept in the
rain. Lying side
by side, they
looked at the
stars and joked
and sang and
talked about
Japanese food
and cults, among other topics.
They saw a shooting star and
watched car headlights dance
and jump through the dark
trees across the river. Brian
McCurdy remembers first
hearing the rain on the water.
When they felt it on their
faces they realized, they were
going to get wet, but they
were too tired to care.
Courtney found some plastic
sheeting to cover herself with,
and others covered their shoes
or bags. “Do you want more
butter on that?” asked George
McElroy from deep in a
dream, and the others laughed
and soon fell asleep themselves
with just their noses emerging
from sleeping bags, hearing
from the van).They performed
perfunctory morning ablutions
in an ecologically correct
manner (“There’s a procedure
for everything!” they com¬
plain, out of earshot of the
leaders), and straggle out to the
river individually, after nibbling
a few crackers or a spoonful of
peanut butter. “At MOO,” says
Snow, “we teach them to leave
no trace—where they walk
and camp, how they clean up,
brush their teeth, and go to
the bathroom.”
A full breakfast will come
later in the morning; now it’s
time to fish. They cast their
lines and watch the river for a
sign, a ripple.They’ve been
taught where to look for fish.
Photographs by Alan Jakubek
what kind of fly to use, and
how to flick their line for an
effective cast. So now they
stand, quietly, in the water and
wait for a bite.
Many of these students
knew how to fly-fish before
they joined this trip and have
arrived bearing impressive rods
and wearing clothes appropri¬
ate to the task. Marty
Wesolowski, who has been
fishing for five years, wades
into the water wearing a pair
of Red Bell waders, making
him waterproof from toes to
armpit.
“They don’t catch the
fish,” he notes astutely, “but
you can get deep into the
water!” Dan Whitmore cuts an
equally dashing figure on the
river, with his fishing vest,
waders, and a hat he got last
year when he was doing com¬
munity service in Alaska,
because “it reminded me of A
River Runs Through It .”
Mike Snow admits with¬
out hesitation that some are
better fishermen than he, and
for that reason he was particu¬
larly glad that Matthew
1 )ickerson, an associate profes¬
sor in the computer science
department, joined them at
Otter Creek.
Dickerson has been fly¬
fishing for 20 years, has been a
guide professionally in
Vermont, and writes a fly-fish¬
ing column for the local paper.
When he arrived the first
morning he spent some time
coaching “some of the
novices” at casting, helped
them choose appropriate flies,
then went into the river with
them, showing them how and
where to cast. The weather was
beautiful—the only beautiful
day they had on this trip. But
apart from the fun of fishing,
what was in it for Dickerson?
“I did it to meet new stu¬
dents and give them a chance
to have a social interaction
with a faculty member outside
the classroom,” he says. “So
when students go to their first j
class next week, they might
have another perspective. Its
hard to take someone too seri¬
ously when you see them
standing in the river with
funny looking waders on.”
After a few hours in the
Otter Creek, Dickerson and
the students all emerged for a
big breakfast, cooked by the
coleaders—eggs, fried potatoes,
pancakes with real maple
syrup. They cooked no fish
that morning, nor for any
meal, it turns out. Though they
certainly caught their share of
fish that day, the catch overall
during the weekend was mod¬
est and the fish quite small.
Brian McCurdy laughs. “I
got one last night smaller than
the fly I used!” George
McElroy agrees, holding his
fingers about two inches apart
to show the size of his small-
mouth bass: “77ns big. I could¬
n’t even feel it on the rod.”
And these were the experi¬
enced fishermen. Luke Farrell
admits, “I definitely caught a
few trees, not any body parts
yet,” he laughs, “but there’s
always time for that!”
But it’s the fishing, not the
fish that is the point of the
weekend. That and spending
time with like-minded people.
After all, out of an entering
class of 550, these eight stu¬
dents were the ones who
chose to spend three days
camping and fly-fishing.
Amazingly, and perhaps a testa¬
ment to the skill of the room¬
mate-matching staff, two of
these students—Courtney
Hess, from Helena, Montana,
and Vanessa Blatt, from
Brazil—are actually room¬
mates. All seem ready, after the
frantic pace of orientation
week, to really get to know
each other, to make a real
friend.
Orientation director Nate
Johnson agrees that the pace of
orientation is intense: “We
don’t give them a break;
they’re really on the go. I think
it’s a good taste of what their
next four years will be like.”
“I didn’t know anyone
when I came,” says Luke
Farrell. “It’s hard to get to
know people in orientation.
But this is a great way to get
to know people. It’s been awe¬
some. I’ve learned a lot and
had a lot of fun.”
Fall 21
They soon fell asleep with just their
noses emerging from sleeping bags,
hearing only the soft patter
of raindrops on the wide flat river.
ulu inartL
Vis'ws
A Tectonic Shift
in Thinking
BY JOHN M .
McCARDELL, JR.
Fom the President's Convocation
Address delivered to the Class of
2003, Sunday, September 12,
1999, Mead Chapel
A S WE BEGIN THE 200TH |
YEAR of Middlebury
College, we anticipate
a year of celebration. In mid-
October we will dedicate
Bicentennial Hall, our new
home for science. And thus,
though an historian, I have
chosen a scientific theme for
this years address, and sought
in that theme a broader appli¬
cation. Science humbles us. It
tempers our pride. It reminds
us that there are in fact some
things that are not the product
of human action and that
therefore cannot be altered or
even affected by human force.
It requires us to put ourselves,
our agendas, our triumphs and
our failures, in perspective, and
offers a valuable lesson in how
time is measured. Indeed, if the
arts and humanities urge us to
extend the reach of our imper¬
fect human understanding, sci¬
ence reminds us of just how
limited that reach is.
Those of us who attended
college in the 1960s, if asked
to share our most vivid mem¬
ories, would probably not lead
with the subject I would like
to meditate upon with you.
And yet, of the many revolu¬
tionary occurrences of that
turbulent time, this particular
theory would have to rank
near the top of any list of ideas
that fundamentally challenged
conventional wisdom. The
field was geology, the idea
plate tectonics. (I here add a
protective qualifier: the expli¬
cation you are about to hear is
that of an historian, not a geol¬
ogist, and an historian who
struggled through a year of
freshman geology back in
1967.)
I approach my subject with
another memorable late sixties
relic in mind: the tie-dyed T-
shirt. Standard apparel today,
the T-shirt was, 30 years ago, as
dramatic a challenge to con¬
ventional thinking about hab¬
erdashery as plate tectonics was
to conventional thinking about
the making of continents.
Often those T-shirts had slo¬
gans. Those of you of a certain
vintage may remember one of
my favorites: it proclaimed in
bold letters, “Reunite
Gondwanaland.”
The meaning of this mys¬
terious slogan became clear in
geology class. The theory of
plate tectonics, an explanation
of what lay learners more
readily know as continental
drift, was formulated during
the late 1960s. It posited that
the Earth s surface layer, down
to anywhere from 30 to 60
miles, is composed of plates of
varying sizes. These plates,
called the lithosphere, rest
upon, and slide over, a lower,
weaker layer of partially
molten rock. These lithospher¬
ic plates move across the sur¬
face of the earth. They collide,
scrape, and slip, and at their
boundaries one is apt to find
active volcanoes and fault lines
that cause earthquakes.
From this theory devel¬
oped the idea of continental
drift. The composition of
continents is lighter than that
of the ocean floor. They “float”
higher in the Earth’s mantle.
Over many, many millennia, as
a result of this process, the
continents as we know them
have been formed. (My friend
and colleague, Provost Ron
Liebowitz, a geographer, has
pointed out that we have evi¬
dence of plate tectonics right
here on campus, in Kenyon
Arena, in the form of two
hockey banners that proclaim
Middlebury as champions of
the ECAC East one year and,
several years later, champions
of the ECAC West!)
22 Middlebury Magazine
The theory of plate tec-
of one single entity came mul-
processes, and study their con-
nity, if you will but seize it, to
tonics, though not in fact syn-
tiple entities. Or, put another
sequences, and consider what
broaden the reach of your own
onymous with continental
way, up until about 200 mil-
seems to be the inevitability of
understanding by getting to
drift, helps explain continent
lion years ago, Europe, Africa,
still more Rwandas and
know someone different from
formation. A German scientist
Asia, and the Americas were all
Quebecs and Kosovos and East
yourself, by studying a subject
named Alfred Wegener prom-
joined. Then the separation
Timors, inclined as we may be
you have not previously stud¬
ulgated the idea of continental
began. And the term “diversi-
to throw up our hands, we
ied, by taking advantage of the
drift at the beginning of this
ty” began to have greater
return to the hope contained
diversity all around you to test
century, though much of what
meaning.
on the simple T-shirt: “Re-
your beliefs, to stretch your
he noted had been discovered
I ask you to ponder for a
unite Gondwanaland.” If we
minds, to build your character,
centuries earlier by scientists,
moment the significance of
take that charge to heart, and
in short, to become educated.
philosophers, and cartogra-
these discoveries—and not just
take it seriously, we will not set
Though it may lie beyond
phers (look especially at the
for geology—and then to
off on a fools errand to try to
our power to control the
“fit” between eastern South
return to that seemingly
reverse the natural order. But
forces of plate tectonics, it is
America and western Africa).
humorous slogan, “Reunite
we may see, in our own com-
within our reach to deal with
During the Paleozoic Era—
Gondwanaland.” Consider the
munity and amongst our
their effect, both real and sym-
“Science humbles us.
It tempers
our
pride. It reminds us that there are some
things tha
are not the product of human
action anc
that therefore cannot be
altered or
even affected by human force.”
some 250 to 300 million years
theory of plate tectonics and
friends and colleagues, old and
bolic, and never to forget our
ago—it is now believed the
its impact on the development
new, opportunities to make
common humanity. This is no
Earth consisted of a single
of societies, cultures, languages,
diversity a force for good—to
easy task. As these plates shift
continent. Wegener named this
literatures, customs. Consider
see the possibilities, on the
they abrade; they collide; they
super continent Pangaea. His
how much of what our own
scale, at least, of this communi¬
shudder and sometimes
work built upon that of an
world treats as most important
ty, of reuniting Gondwanaland.
explode. Every tendency in the
Austrian geologist named
relates in some way to this
The Class of 2003 represents
lives we lead is toward frag¬
Edward Suess, who also
simple idea of regular, consis¬
42 states, 32 countries, and 6
mentation, isolation, and their
believed that parts of a single,
tent, inevitable subdivision—
continents. We have thus, in
kindred xenophobia, intoler¬
huge southern continent had
splitting off, sliding away, form¬
our own way, reunited
ance. If there is any place on
split apart, creating the Atlantic
ing something new. Think of
Gondwanaland at this
this good Earth, and any peo¬
and Indian Oceans, as well as
how presumptuously we cate¬
moment, on this campus, in
ple, where those forces of sepa¬
Europe, Africa, the Americas,
gorize knowledge as “Eastern”
this chapel. Does this mean
ratism may be arrested and a
and parts of Asia. He named
and “Western.” Ponder the
that we have created, or seek
civil, respectful exploration of
this continent... Gondwan-
hubris of we mere mortals
to create, uniformity of belief?
difference make diversity a
aland.
believing that we have some¬
Of course not. That is no more
basis for a community’s greater
The super continent,
how caused changes in the
possible than recreating a single
strength, let it be here.
whether called Pangaea or
natural order and that we have
continent. Diversity must not
Let it be you.
Gondwanaland, began to break
it within our power to redi¬
be stifled by those marching
apart during the Jurassic peri¬
rect, even halt, changes whose
under diversity’s banner. But it
od, some 130 to 200 million
time is measured on a very dif¬
does mean that for the next
years ago, as a result of the
ferent scale.
four years the Class of 2003
process of plate tectonics. Out
Yet, if we study these
has an extraordinary opportu-
Fall
2 3
We shape our buildings
hour or two before the sched¬
uled presentation, Middlebury
learned that Gould could not
£et to Vermont due to dancer-
insets, top left: Making chemistry or magic? Professor Sunhee Choi stands in a
fog of evaporating liquid nitrogen as she makes ice cream at the banquet.
Middle: Claire Gargalli '64, chair of the Board of Trustees, bestows a Bicentennial
Medal on former governor and U.S. senator Robert Stafford '35; Right: an organic
chemistry lab.
O THOSE WHO THINK
tackling big questions
! is not of interest today,
witness the fact that the
Center for the Arts Concert
Hall was nearly filled to capac¬
ity with students, alumni,
faculty, and staff who came
to engage the subject, What Is
Life?
They were attending the
annual Nicholas R. Clifford
Symposium, which was the
kick-off event for a three-day
celebration of the sciences at
Middlebury. The culmination
of this celebration would be
the official dedication of
Bicentennial Hall, Middle¬
bury s magnificent new
academic building and the
Colleges 21st-century home
for the sciences.
During the Clifford
Symposium, James F. Childress,
professor of medical education
at the University ofVirginia,
talked about his work in
bioethics and the issues that
scientific advances bring to
the fore—issues in the murky
region where religion, morali¬
ty, and science intersect.
Childress was supposed
to be followed, later in the
day, by a keynote lecture from
Stephen Jay Gould, but an
Photographs by Bob Hand elman and Tad Merrick
24 Middlebury Magazine
thereafter they shape us.
force,” one alumna said of the
dynamic presentation given by
the associate professor of biol¬
ogy. “I’ve heard Gould talk and
I preferred her. She really
worked the crowd. One of our
own became a star.”
At noon the next day, a
science media panel brought
four prestigious science jour¬
nalists and a large lunchtime
crowd to the central hall of the
new building.Called the Grand
Hall, it is indeed that, with one
wall a four-story glass window
looking out onto farmland and
rolling hills.
That afternoon and the
next brought lectures and sym¬
posia with Middlebury faculty
(Grace Spatafora, Rich
Wolfson, Kate Sonderegger,
Richard Arthur) and alumni
(Achievement Award Winners
Bernard Cohen ’50, Sharon
Hostler ’61, and Roger Easton
’43; not present was award-
winner Andrew Cohen ’76).
Dinner for everyone asso¬
ciated with the building—
faculty, architects, donors, and
VIPs—was a magical event.
Literally. After dinner Sunhee
Choi, professor of chemistry,
stirred a bowl Rill of cream,
milk, powdered sugar, and
chocolate syrup, while Chaz
Sternberg, catering manager
ous wind conditions at the
LaCuardia Airport. (The wind
was indeed strong, even in
Vermont. A large spruce tree
in front of Bicentennial Hall,
recently planted, had toppled
over that morning.)
Stepping into the breech.
and with barely an hour to
prepare, Grace Spatafora gave
the after-dinner lecture to rave
reviews: “It was a tour de
Fall 25
^ ^ieria>-vieW of Bicentennial Hall (top, r]ght)fHad(|
Coffrin Hall (bottorti'Jeft); Freeman lnternational
This page from top: Chalkboards are everywhere—study spaces, lounges, class¬
rooms, even the Great Hall; Francois Clemmons, Twilight Artist-ln-Residence, sang
several songs after dinner and illustrated yet another great use for the Great
Hall—singing; President McCardell presents the Bicentennial Medal to former
President James I. Armstrong and his wife Carol A. Armstrong—the science
library was named in their honor; visitors and guests filled the Great Hall and
two of its four balconies for Saturday's dedication ceremony.
It*
for dining services, added
liquid nitrogen. Almost imme¬
diately, the liquid solidified and
voila! Chocolate ice cream!
On Saturday the actual
dedication of the building was
held in the Great Hall. As a
wind ensemble played from the
first balcony, the faculty proces¬
sion, in full academic robes,
marched up the aisle and onto
the dais.President McCardell
introduced Frank Winkler,
Gamaliel Painter Professor of
Physics, who, with a big grin,
declared, “Well, here we are!”
“When I came in 1969,”
Winkler said, “scientific research
went on but it was a curiosity.
Today virtually every science
student collaborates with faculty
on research. They do research
on campus.They venture far
afield to collect data in regions
from the Arctic to the Antarctic
and all latitudes in between.
They give presentations at
national conferences, coauthor
papers in the most prestigious
scientific journals. What could
give science more immediacy
for an undergraduate student
than this?”
That kind of faculty-student
mentoring was exemplified as
the four Alumni Achievement
Award winners accepted their
awards from Richard Silton
’80, the president of the alumni
association. All mentioned the
professors who had inspired
and mentored them during
their years at Middlebury.
President McCardell
described some research proj¬
ects that undergraduates are
conducting with current facul¬
ty. But, he said, “the education
that takes place in this building
involves not just courses and
research for science students or
majors; fully 40 percent of the
Middlebury student body pass¬
es through Bicentennial Hall
to take classes each week, both
in the sciences and in other
Above: Panel discussion with, left to
right, Rich Wolfson (physics), Grace
Spatafora (biology), James Childress
(Univ. of VA), Maggie O'Brien (presi¬
dent of St. Mary's College of Maryland),
Kate Sonderegger (religion), Richard
Arthur (philosophy).
disciplines whose faculty teach
in the fine classrooms in this
building.... Illumination and
discovery—these are the hall¬
marks, not just of science but
of liberal education in general.
The spirit of inquiry that char¬
acterizes this building in its
architectural features and in
the work that takes places
within its classrooms and labo¬
ratories is the essence of liberal
study.”
Claire Waterhouse Gargalli
’64, chair of the Board of
Trustees, spoke for the trustees
when she said, “Today is a day
for renewing our commitment
to the future in which we
resolve with firmness and forti¬
tude to continue working for
the strengthening of Middle-
bury in every possible way....
As board members this is our
pledge to the College today.”
A Bicentennial Medal was
awarded to Robert T. Stafford
’35, former U.S. senator and
governor ofVermont and a for¬
mer College trustee. Stafford,
who was honored for his envi¬
ronmental achievements, met
his wife, Helen Kelley Stafford
’38, at the College, and said he
was “truly touched by receiving
this medal from Middlebury
for which I have such a
deep affection. My years
at Middlebury were the four
happiest in my life.”
The science library in
Bicentennial Hall was named
in honor of former President
James I. Armstrong and his wife
Carol A. Armstrong, who both
received Bicentennial Medals.
Both Armstrongs spoke briefly
and President Armstrong, call¬
ing the convocation “incandes¬
cent” got some big laughs as he
capped his remarks in Latin.
The afternoon ended with
a cookout in Discovery Court,
an outdoor patio tucked into
the sunniest corner of the
building. Dining Services,
which knocked itself out pro¬
viding one lovely meal after
another for this extravaganza,
efficiently choreographed
the buffet, which ended with
a cake in the shape of
Bicentennial Hall.
Like the building itself, the
cake exemplified the best in
form and function: it was plen¬
ty big enough for the crowd, it
was beautiful, and it tasted
great.
Who Said Its Not
Easy Being Green?
ou can’t miss Bicentennial
Hall: From most locations in
town, it can be seen rising up over
six stories on the northwest edge
of the Middlebury campus. And
from inside Bicentennial Hall, you
can’t miss Vermont, either. The
immense and ubiquitous windows
seem to pull the countryside in,
from all directions, as far as the eye
can see. Standing before the view,
one is humbled to realize that
although we can build an edifice as
magnificent as Bicentennial Hall,
nature is at once our teacher and
our responsibility.
Middlebury s sense of responsi¬
bility is very evident in the design
and construction of Bicentennial
Hall, which is considered to be
one of the most ecologically sensi¬
tive buildings of its type in the
country. Much of the construction
material was made from recycled
natural products, all the wood used was harvested and processed
in an ecologically sensitive manner, and many energy-efficient
features have been incorporated.
The 220,000-square-foot building, designed by Payette
Associates, contains over 125,000 board feet of “green-certified”
wood; linoleum flooring made from wood flour and linseed oil;
stone, mined with a less invasive mining process than is normally
used; mineral rock-wool insulation made from a by-product of
iron smelting; and drywall made from recyclables.The sound¬
proofing system contains recycled steel, and the mortar netting
used for masonry work was made from recycled plastic. Most
rooms have been equipped with sensors that turn the lights oft
when the room is not in use, and a heat-recovery system using
discharged heat to warm outside air has been installed.
“We have designed 85 graduate and undergraduate science
projects for numerous renowned institutions, but Middlebury s
vision. . . was unparalleled,” commented Bob Schaeflher of
Payette Associates, the architect overseeing the building con¬
struction. “The forward-looking structure pushes the envelope
of sustainable design, energy-efficient systems, and a 100-year-
plus life span beyond any facility of its kind.”
After spending just a little time in Bicentennial Hall, there
can be no doubt that great discoveries will be made here. As
Maggie O’Brien, president of St. Mary’s College, said during the
Clifford Symposium panel discussion, “Now Middlebury has a
facility worthy of her science faculty.”
Looking down on the first two
balconies and the floor of the Grand
Hall.
Fall
THAT SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN STUDENT AND TEACHER:
SHE WORKS THEM TILL THEY'RE RAGGED, COOKS KOREAN FOOD
FOR THEM, AND MODELS WHAT IT IS TO BE
A WOMAN AND A SCIENTIST.
BY KIM ASCH
F or once, Chemistry Professor Sunhee Choi found
herself at a podium without a story to tell. She was in
Oxford, England, at an international conference for
researchers of a particular cancer-fighting agent, and her paper was
selected as one of the top eight out of 100. All day, scientists had
been quoting from “Choi ct al ” to support their own work, and
now they wanted the author to stand in the spotlight and review
her findings.
28 Middlebury Magazine
Famous among students for her alternately inspirational anec¬
dotes, passionate lectures, and corny one-liners (/.£., science is
pHun), Middlebury chemistry departments diminutive dynamo
was momentarily speechless. Understandable. The other seven
papers to receive such distinction originated from big research uni¬
versities, as is almost always the case. “Choi ct at ” was the only rank¬
ing project to come out of a liberal arts college and to list under¬
graduates as coauthors.
Photograph by Alan Jakubek
“I wasn’t prepared for it,” she
says, still savoring that moment of
glory before 300 of her peers last
March. “I told them, this work is
all done by undergraduates.”
Lots of ears should have been
tingling back on campus, because
right then someone in the audi¬
ence piped up,“Lets all congratu¬
late Middlebury undergraduates!”
and there was a rousing round of
applause for Chois student col¬
laborators.
“They are so famous,” Choi
says. “They are my pride.”
Its summer and she is taking a
break in her gutted office in what
is left of the old science depart¬
ment. Soon, she will embark on a
fresh semester in the spectacular,
new Bicentennial Hall, but right
now, Choi is busy teaching a
course to high school students
who have shown an interest in
chemistry and Middlebury. She is
just the person to turn them on
to both.
In the classroom, as in the lab,
she’s a maestro. Tan, fit, and per¬
fectly attired in a red, sleeveless
tunic, matching cotton mini, and
chunky sandals, the colored chalk
is her baton as she writes out
complex chemical formulas on
the blackboard. In staccato
English (Korean is her first lan¬
guage) she tells the story of these
letters and numbers and how they
come together to fight cancer.
She calls this research project her
“Opus No. 7.”
“My team is a symphony
orchestra,” she says, referring to
her student researchers. “We use
tons of instruments. I am the con¬
ductor. We do biochemistry,
organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry.”
Thanks to two grants over a six-year period totaling $222,000
from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of
Health, Choi and her students are conducting basic research on the
mechanism of anticancer activity of the platinum(IV) compound.
The platinum compound has been shown to be toxic to tumors
that are resistant to cisplatin, the most popular anticancer drug.
Understanding how platinum(IV) compounds attack cancer cells
should lead to the development of improved chemotherapeutic
drugs, Choi says. Pointing to a diagram of cancerous DNA being
attacked by the fearsome cis-
platiiyshe is radiant:“Isn’t it beau¬
tiful?”
In May, all five graduating
seniors who majored in straight
chemistry were women, four of
them Choi’s advisees. Over the
course of her 12 years at
Middlebury, she has bonded with
many of her undergraduate col¬
leagues. She and husband Jim
Larrabee, a chemistry professor
and associate dean of the faculty,
continue to socialize with alum¬
ni, attending their weddings,
medical school graduations, and
dinner parties. More often, they
invite former students over to
their house for feasts of Choi’s
favorite Korean foods or
Larrabee’s famous chicken wings.
But this group of women
majors is special to Choi because
she feels so strongly about steer¬
ing women toward careers in sci¬
ence. She is relentlessly proud of
her female proteges, adding her
own spin to a slogan she picked
up from actress Goldie Hawn.
“Women can do 400 things,” the
superstar told Good Housekeeping
magazine. “Women scientists can
do 401 things,” Choi asserts.
Every chemistry major is
required to read biographies of
Marie Curie, the Polish-born
physicist who, with her French
husband Pierre Curie, shared the
1903 Nobel Prize for physics
with Henri Becquerel for the dis¬
covery of radioactivity.
“My students tease me that I
try to turn all of them into Marie
Curie,” she says. Not exactly, but
she does require that they “try to
be the best scientists and the best
citizens, like Marie.” It can be tough living up to what Choi deems
is your best.
“Basically, she expects you to know everything,” says Sarah
Delaney ’99, who just started working toward her Ph.D. in chem¬
istry from Caltech. Amy Kinner ’99, now in her first year in the
master’s/Ph.D. program in environmental health science at UC-
Berkeley, agrees,“She’s definitely more rigorous than most. Sunhee
definitely expects a lot of us. She would give us a quiz at the end
of class on the material we had just been taught to make sure we
were paying attention.”
Choi s physical
chemistry course
is known as the
crucible of the
major; if you can
make it through
that, you’ll survive
30 Middlebury Magazine
Photograph by Bob Handelman
Choi’s physical chemistry
course is known as the crucible
of the major; if you can make it
through that, you’ll survive to
graduate. Joanna Wolkowski ’99,
who will enter Yale’s Ph.D. pro¬
gram in chemistry next year after
taking a break to help coach
Wellesley’s basketball team,
remembers the nearly insur¬
mountable standards Choi set for
them and how she helped them
achieve more than they ever
thought they could.
At one point during the
semester, Wolkowski and her class¬
mates complained that the work¬
load was so overwhelming, they
weren’t getting enough sleep. The
students dragged themselves into
class, rumpled and in sweats. Choi,
as always, was dressed to the nines.
“You sleep four hours, get up,
take a walk, wear lots of make-up,”
Wolkowski and Delaney remem¬
ber her telling them. “Sleep during
summer.”
The conductor decided the
struggling orchestra needed more
rehearsal time. First, she began holding review sessions over lunch.
Then, she added Sunday meetings at her home. She cooked them
dinners and shared stories about her days as a student in Korea and
then at Princeton, where she met her husband. Soon, her students
began reciprocating with dinner invitations. Wolkowski, who emi¬
grated from Poland in 1986, made traditional foods from home.
Shwe Mon ’99, now in the Ph.D. program for chemistry at Johns
Hopkins University, cooked Burmese meals.
In socializing with their mentor, the students observed a
Renaissance woman in action, balancing the demands of raising
two children with her passion for chemistry and her extracurricu¬
lar pursuits such as hiking, gardening, cooking, classical music, and
clothes.
“She’s got to be the best-dressed professor at Middlebury,”
Delaney says. “I think part of her attitude is, you get up in the
morning, get dressed up, put on your make-up, and when you get
to class it’ll help you focus.”
Back in the summer classroom, Choi is drawing a picture for
the high school students to help them understand why basic
research is so important. She’s no artist.
“What am I trying to draw?” she quizzes the class.
“An elephant?” the teens guess, giggling.
Choi explains that cancer is like the elephant, and researchers
are like the blindfolded little stick figures she draws in a circle
around it. All are trying to get a picture of what’s in front of them
by examining one little portion. They have to share information
with each other to know it’s an elephant.
That’s why basic research and
collaboration are so important, she
says, because understanding the
little pieces and how they fit
together will lead to big answers.
Choi is a firm believer that perse¬
verance in life, as in the lab, achieves
results.
“I have worked so hard to get
anything in my life. That’s my
karma, I think,” she says. “When I
get a grant, somehow I have to
work two or three times as hard. I’m
a foreigner, my English is so bad, but
I get it.”
If anything, her imperfect
English endears her to students,
who are relieved to find a flaw.
Wolkowski and Delaney sometimes
fall into what they call “Sunhee
speak,” and Wolkowski’s basketball
teammates picked up on it, too. At
the end of a practice, they would bid
each other good-bye the Sunhee
way,“Ya!Ya! See you tomallow!”
Choi is never very far away
from her students. Wolkowski
remembers tutoring a group of
underclassmen for her Introduction
to Chemistry course one night and getting stuck on a problem.
“There was no hesitation, we would call her at home if we need¬
ed her help,” she says.
One particular night, Choi was giving one of her famous din¬
ner parties when Wolkowski called. “She came over in a dress with
a big sweatshirt over it and these huge boots—because it was rain¬
ing—reeking of Korean food,” she recalls. “I think it didn’t bother
her at all because I think she’s so dedicated. She wanted to make
sure we really understood the material.”
When the time came to apply to graduate school, Choi insist¬
ed they only apply to five. “You get into every one,” she told them.
“Best to make decision sooner rather than later.”The girls laughed
and rolled their eyes. “She was always dropping names of the best
schools,” Delaney recalls. “We were like, yeah, whatever.”
As it turned out, each of the five women went on to good
graduate schools. Suzanne Muchene ’99 is pursuing a master’s of
public health in epidemiology at Boston University. MIT and
Caltech fought over Delaney. Kinner is at Berkeley. Mon is at Johns
Hopkins. Wolkowski applied to University of Chicago,
Northwestern, Princeton, and Yale and was amazed to learn she’d
been accepted at each.
Only Choi was unfazed.
“She’s just very confident in our abilities,” Wolkowski says.
“More than we are in ourselves.”
Kirn Asch is a writer living in Burlington , Vermont.
“You sleep four
hours, get up, take
a walk, wear lots
of make-up,”
Wolkowski and
Delaney remem¬
ber her telling
them. ‘Sleep
during summer.
Snapshot by Sunhee Choi
Fall 31
BY BOB PACK
T he lyric form of my new sequence of poems,
Rounding It Out (The University of Chicago Press,
1999) which centers itself in the theme of the
inseparability of loss and cherished ties to people and
places, employs a double refrain as a musical principle to
represent symbolically the dust-to-dust circularities of
human experience. The book thus opens with a morning
song in praise of sunlight:
The fleetingness and brevity of human time is experienced
within the context of cosmic time, the life and death of our own
sun, which will implode, so it is estimated, “about five billion years
from now” Yet the sun can be possessed in a moment of personal
warmth, in the reflected image of a “yellow flower,” and in the
poem that, like the sun, is rounded unto itself in musical celebra¬
tion.
The first line of each poem returns (sometimes in a slightly var¬
ied version) as the last line, and the second line returns (also with
variations) somewhere in the middle of the poem.The poems echo
each other as themes, such as absence or self-awareness or the
exhilarations of nature as spectacle, return and are modified, so that,
for example, the morning song that opens the book becomes the
nocturne that concludes the collection:
AUBADE
Our sun has left just half its life to spill—
About five billion years before it must
Explode, collapse upon itself, and will
Back to the universe its final thrust
Of heat we creatures long have counted on.
Waking warm here in bed, we trust
This light to help imagine when light will be gone
About five billion years from now; it must
Experience diminishment,
As must we too, as must we all.
Observers, we can find our last content
In comprehension that the fall
Of yellow petals on our window sill,
Like little suns, is what we have to will,
A melody to whistle in the dawn:
Our sun has left just half its life to spill.
The imagistic content of the poems, as well as their structure
in four sections, Morning, Mid-Day, Evening, Night, designates in
addition to the changing light of day, all departures and returns that
are included in the natural cycles of a completed lifetime. In an
important sense the book is about its own chosen form—music as
a means of both celebration and lamentation—heightened by
deliberated self-awareness, the pauses which enable us to hold on
to and savor our visual perceptions and our most precious emo¬
tions.
32 Middlebury Magazine
NOCTURNE
How little separates me from the night:
My moist breath merges with the moistened air;
From my cupped hands a flutter of reflected light
Ascends as if a bird had been enfolded there—
A gathered whiteness that can fly
My message of replenished care,
My offer to the dark, my sole reply.
My moist breath merges with the moistened air,
Summons to its blurred self what waits beyond.
Projects its own illumination to
Moon-laden branches by the frozen pond,
To cavern icicles our awed ancestors knew.
1 see how cloudy indivisibility
I think of these 16-line poems (two lines are repeats) as a
cross between being a sonnet and a villanelle with their
determined pattern of returning lines.The poems faithful¬
ly (as in a vow) employ meter and rhyme, assonance and
alliteration, taking delight and finding consolation in the
sensuousness of our native tongue even in the face of
inevitable and ongoing loss in a universe of ceaseless flux,
changing, as I see it, without sponsored purpose or desti¬
nation, indifferent to human longing and aspiration.
Although my own philosophical perspective is skepti¬
cal and atheistic, since 1 believe that whatever meaning
exists in life must be invented and affirmed through
human behavior and commitment, nevertheless I consider
the poems in Rounding It Out to be deeply influenced by
the sacred poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins because of
my similar attempt to ground meaning in musical affects,
patterns of sound, metaphorical designs. Taking life seri¬
ously, caring for other people and other forms of life, is holiness
enough for me. In his poem celebrating the music of Henry
Purcell, Hopkins wishes that his poetry will “fan fresh our wits
with wonder.” It is a wish I profoundly share for my sonnetelles.
The failure today of obscurantist poets to employ language as
a communal medium, eschewing any attempt to communicate as
clearly as possible the feelings of their beliefs, can be seen, I believe,
as an aspect of the self-indulgent condition of contemporary cul¬
ture. Such corruption, of course, is not new. Breakdown of com¬
munication is portrayed paradigmatically in the biblical account of
the tower of Babel. Originally, “the whole earth was one language,
and of one speech,” but in punishment for pride and the ambition
to exceed human limits, the Lord punished mankind: “Let us go
down, and there confound their language, that they may not
1 )ivides, how whirled division mists to white;
I recognize lulled voices calling me,
How little separates me from the night.
Illustrations by Hal May forth
Fall 33
understand one another’s speech.” In effect, retelling the story of
Babel,Wordsworth, in his appendix to Preface to Lyrical Ballads? says:
“But the first poets... spake a language which, although unusu¬
al, was still the language of men. This circumstance, however, was
disregarded by their successors; they found that they could please
by easier means: they became proud of modes of expression which
they themselves had invented. . . until, the taste of men becoming
gradually perverted, this language was received as natural language.
.. this dicdon became daily more and more corrupt, thrusting out
of sight the plain humanities of nature.”
Thus the search for Hopkinsian freshness, the original avant
garde intention, became perverted into the desperate pursuit of
newness for its own sake with our own age specializing in seeking
newness in affront and contrived offensiveness.
Wordsworths powerful point is that humankinds unity with
nature and with other human beings has been replaced by the
prideful assertion of the individualistic self. In the Prelude, praising
his dear friend Coleridge’s “learning,” his “gorgeous eloquence,”
Wordsworth nevertheless condemns the “self-created sustenance”
of Coleridges mind as “Debarred from Natures living images,/
Compelled to be a life unto herself.” Coleridge’s art had failed for
Wordsworth because it had become too eccentric, too self-invent¬
ed. Yeats stated the same idea even more bluntly: “All that is per¬
sonal soon rots.” The artist must emphasize the ongoing life of our
species, rather than his or her own individuality. “I am a crowd, I
am a lonely man, I am nothing,” exclaims Yeats. From the more
visionary perspective of time “stretching before and after,” person¬
al identity is insignificant and will be obliterated. If anything
remains, it will be what Yeats called “Monuments of unaging intel¬
lect.”
The attempt to cling to the assertion of the self, in my view, is
a subtle form of the denial of death and the inability to accept
natures ephemerality.The rebellion against death—the horror of
the idea of death as personal annihilation—may be mitigated when
we identify ourselves with our species, with existence itself.
Affirming this spirit of the impersonalized self, the speaker of my
poems in this book, whose memories become a “storied life,” is
rendered as collective, myself as anybody; he celebrates nature as a
spectacle and at the same time mourns natures indifference which
we experience falsely as cruelty. And so, too, the “you” who is
addressed throughout the cycle, combines the main figures in the
speakers life: wife, mother, father, son, daughter, as in the poem
“Invitation”:
IN V I TATI 0 N
Before you leave, pause here once more with me,
Each one of you alone and one in all,
All merged or each emerging as I see
My storied life in you and call
To you as lover, daughter, wife, or friend,
Approaching through red leaves in dwindling fall
Or vanishing where snow-blown footprints end,
Each one of you alone and one in all.
Son, father, stranger, lives I might have lived,
I summon you within the circle of my mind,
Among the mighty maples I have loved,
34 Middlebury Magazine
To share their shadowed whisperings and find
Acceptance in a reappearing oriole,
Solace in grief when grief is rhymed.
Inheritor, my judge, my memory,
Before you leave, pause here once more with me.
Falling into despair can come from the obsession with ones
individual mortality. Such despair, the mind failing to cure itself of
its awareness of its own passing moment in the sun, is the result of
overemphasizing ones singular life so that even as a poet one
becomes trapped in one’s own personal language, the need for
expression outweighing the will for communication.The cure for
this fever of self-regard, “where but to think is to be full of sor¬
rows,” as Keats says, lies only in seeing ones life as part of ongoing
and evolving nature and as part of the community which will
include ones inheritors if ones poems survive. The self cannot sus¬
tain itself only as a self, for then its fate is death, absolute and final.
An enlarged imagining, however, contained within a form that
possesses the memory of a tradition (such as the durable and
enduring sonnet), perceives that the death of the self is to the uni¬
verse what the death of a cell is to the human body—the means of
nature’s continuity, the cycling of the seasons and the culminating
image of the harvest with its “wheels of baled hay.” Proper mourn¬
ing—a primary function of poetry—requires the selflessness of
such impersonal perspective. This is the perspective I seek to
achieve in each poem as a lyric entity which therefore allows
lament to be free of selfrpity and self-indulgence and exalts cele¬
bration that goes, as Wordsworth says, “too deep for tears,” beyond
chance and momentary individual assertion and good fortune.
BALED HAY
Wheels of baled hay bask in October sun:
Gold circles strewn across the sloping field,
They seem arranged as if each one
Has found its place, and viewed together they appeal
To some glimpsed order in my mind
Preceding my chance pausing here—
A randomness that also seems designed.
Gold circles strewn across the sloping field
Evoke a silence deep as my deep fear
Of emptiness; I feel the scene requires
A listener who can respond with words, yet who
Prolongs the silence that I still desire
Relieved as clacking crows come flashing through,
Whose blackness shows chance radiance of fire.
Yet stillness in the field remains for everyone:
Wheels of baled hay bask in October sun.
Rounding It Out is Bob Pack’s 18th collection of poetry. Pack is pro¬
fessor emeritus of English, having taught at Middlebury for 34 years,
and was director of the Bread Loaf Writers’Conference from 1973 to
1994. Currently he is teaching in the English department and Honors
College at the University of Montana in Missoula.
BY JUDY OLINICK
UESS WHO this is,” Alya Baker beams, popping into the
■ ■■ Russian department office with a new snapshot.The smil-
^^®ing four-year-old in the photo is a miniature edition of
Anne Sudkamp ’83, M.A. Russian School ’90, one of the former
students who send Alya (Aleksandra Grigorievna as they address
her in Russian) hundreds of cards, letters, pictures, e-mail messages,
wedding invitations, and birth announcements every year. They
head straight for her door whenever they return to Middlebury. A
jubilant contingent was on hand in San Francisco last December,
when Alya received the 1998 postsecondary language teacher of
the year award from AATSEEL, the American Association of
Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages.
Professor Thomas R. Beyer, Jr., the Russian department chair,
says that there is “magic” but no secret to Alya’s rapport with her
Photograph by Alan Jakubek
Fall 35
students. “Far more than helping them through the intricacies of
Russians verbs of motion,” he says, “Alya has sung with them,
cooked for them, stored their furniture, and sometimes just sipped
tea with them and lent a sympathetic ear. Having done this at
Middlebury for over 30 years, she has great friends and admirers
across several generations.”
Alyas students themselves explain eloquently and precisely
what makes her so special and why the extraordinary effort they
devote to her courses is both a moral obligation and a joy. David
Andrews ’80, now an associate professor of Slavic languages at
Georgetown University, recalls, “We used to do a fond parody of
Mrs. Baker assigning homework for a typical day in second-year
Russian: ‘ Khorosho , rebiata, (all right, guys)
for tomorrow read the introductory text to
the new lesson. Learn all the new words
and expressions, and prepare the text for
discussion. Read over the grammar points
and familiarize yourselves with the con¬
cepts. Then go to the language lab and
work on all the oral exercises. Of course,
don’t forget to study for the test tomorrow.
And now, for your written assignment.
“The work load was legendary, but we
did it. We did it because we loved it, because
we were inspired, because the last thing we
would ever do is let Mrs. Baker down,
because it was all so beautifully and logical¬
ly planned and organized. We did it because
we knew that Mrs. Baker was working even
harder than we were. Even then we were
able to appreciate the staggering amount of
work, time, and care that Mrs. Baker put
into everything connected with her teach¬
ing, that she was able to anticipate our every thought and problem,
that she could see right into our heads. Now that I’m a professor
myself, I am even more in awe of her.”
Alya’s classroom style might be described as “old fashioned,” or
what David Ayres ’78 calls “soft but strict” in contrast to her “soft
and friendly” manner at the Russian table in the Chateau. Aside
from occasional videos, little technology is in evidence, but there
is plenty of chalk, filling the boards with clear, graceful Cyrillic
script, perfectly recapitulating the lesson for those who copy it
accurately.
Looking through the window, a viewer would see a deceptive¬
ly low-key scene with lots of friendly laughter, but in fact not a
minute is wasted. Nearly everyone is on full alert and an unpre¬
pared student has no hope of escaping detection. Ayres, now man¬
aging partner of Brobeck Hale and Dorr in London, speaks for
many when he says/ k I wanted so much to please her. I guess we all
did. I never had another teacher whose approval was so important
to me and whose disappointment at my occasionally poor per¬
formance was so devastating. I think that’s what made her so spe¬
cial. That she cared so much.”
A lya’s students are always astonished to learn that she
never visited the Soviet Union until 1961. Her family, along
with many other Russians, moved to Yugoslavia in the 1920s, and
she was born in the town of Subotica, near the Hungarian border.
The family home was “a typical peasant house” with electricity but
no indoor plumbing. “My mother and I hauled all the water from
a well about 15 minutes’ walk away,” she says. “It was particularly
interesting on wash days, when we had to carry and store it all.”
She remembers the wonderful fruit trees and raspberries her father
planted in the yard, the farmers stopping at the house with fresh
produce on their way to the town market, and the excitement
when her older brother came home on visits from his military
boarding school. But she also has frightening early memories of
World War II. Hungarian soldiers searched the house at bayonet
point; advancing Soviet troops and retreating Germans marched
down her street; and both the Americans and the Germans
bombed the town several times. Alya spent most of her childhood
without her father. “He joined the Serbian army, was taken pris¬
oner by the Hungarians and released,joined the German army, and
ended the war in a displaced persons camp in Germany,” she
recounts.The family was finally reunited in America in 1955.
Alya acquired her first three native languages in Subotica. At
home, she spoke, read, and wrote Russian. In her elementary
school, in a Hungarian neighborhood, she spoke Hungarian,
which is not related to Russian, through second grade. After the
war, she attended a Serbian school and quickly learned so-called
Serbo-Croatian, which is really both Serbian—written in Cyrillic,
like Russian—and Croatian—closely related, but written in the
Roman alphabet. Beginning in elementary school, the children
were required to alternate alphabets daily, which she says caused
some chauvinistic grumbling but no confusion.
“Once you know two languages well,” she says, “you are sel¬
dom disturbed by forms you encounter in other languages. And
speaking different languages teaches you to look at things from dif¬
ferent points of view. I’m not the same person when I speak
Russian in Russia as I am when I speak English in America. The
body language is different, and I do things speaking one language
“I wanted so much to please
her. I guess we all did. I never
had another teacher whose
approval was so important to
me, and whose disappointment
at my occasionally poor
performance was so devastating.”
36 Middlebury Magazine
that I wouldn’t do when speaking the other.”
When Alya and her mother finally managed to join her father,
who had worked his way to New York on a ship, she knew virtu¬
ally no English, but soon made it a fourth “native” language and
embarked on a college and graduate school career that resulted in
a B.A. from Hunter College, an M.A. in Russian from Indiana
University, and a second M.A. from the Middlebury College
German School. “When I first attended the German School in
1958,” she recalls, “the fee was $350. My family could never have
afforded to send me, but I received a scholarship of $175, which
made it possible.”
W HILE TEACHING AND STUDYING AT INDIANA, Alya met Bob
Baker, then a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan,
who was also teaching in Bloomington. Bob had just spent a frill
academic year at Leningrad State University, a remarkably long
Soviet visit for an American during the Cold War. When he took
a group of Russian teachers to the Soviet Union in 1961, Alya
jumped at the invitation to go as his assistant.This first visit to her
family’s homeland was an overwhelming experience for her.
In 1962 Alya and Bob married and spent part of their honey¬
moon in Yugoslavia—a joyous homecoming for Alya. “When I left
Yugoslavia I was sure I would never return,” she says. “My friends
were so glad to see me that they held our 10-year high school
reunion three years early in my honor.” She agonized over the fate
of her friends during the recent NATO bombing of Serbia, but has
not attempted to contact them.“I wouldn’t know what to say,” she
says sadly, “and getting a letter from America might cause trouble
for them.” She sees no easy solution to the upheaval in Kosovo.
“Both sides are to blame, not just the Serbs,” she says. “These are
very deeply rooted hostilities.You can’t simply order people to for¬
get them.”
The Bakers moved to Middlebury in 1967 when Bob became
acting chair of the Russian department and dean of the Russian
School. Alya, who had hoped to complete her M.A. in German
and spend some time at home with the children, Larry and Lisa
(Elizabeth ’87), was instantly drafted to teach a heavy load of both
German and Russian. Since then, she has taught almost nonstop in
the Russian department and the Russian School and served twice
as director of the Middlebury program in Moscow, which Bob
founded in 1977.
Bob and Alya were largely responsible for establishing
Middlebury’s reputation as the place to study Russian in the United
States. The combination of new teaching materials, lucid explana¬
tions, finely focused drilling, and virtually unlimited office hours
helped dispel the widespread myth that it is all but impossible for
nonnative speakers to learn Russian well. Cynthia J. Bear ’72 says
that after her first year of Russian with Alya, “I knew that the stan¬
dard of excellence had been defined.” The proof for Bear, now first
vice president and credit director with Salomon Smith Barney,
Inc., came during an earlier assignment in Moscow when the
deputy chairman of the Soviet Central Bank told her, “Many peo¬
ple have a large vocabulary, but you speak Russian correctly.”
Alya s language-teaching philosophy has changed little over the
years. Despite its enormous success, her approach is difficult to
define, perhaps because it is more personal and pragmatic than
methodological. “The most important thing is patience,” she
believes. “You can’t rush in the beginning, because you need a
foundation to build on. Even little writing exercises must be care¬
fully corrected. First-year students cannot write compositions
before they learn how to use the nouns and verbs.” Most impor¬
tant, she cautions, “beginning language courses must be taught by
people who don’t get bored by the early stages.”
The Bakers’ home has always been a center for Russian parties
and picnics, an off-campus haven for students, and an inn for
returning alumni, visiting Russians, friends and friends of friends.
An old-world welcome instantly embraces the fortunate guests,
who arrive early and stay late. Bob is greatly missed since his
untimely death in 1995, but his memory is alive in the house and
the hospitality continues.
Alya’s Russian cuisine is deservedly famous. Such specialties as
pirog , a pastry filled with chopped cabbage, eggs, onions, or meat;
marinated mushrooms; and a variety of soups, salads, and zakuski
(snacks) are in demand year-round. Holiday favorites include bliny ,
thick pancakes stuffed with any combination of caviar, mushrooms,
sour cream, or jam for Maslenitsa , just before Lent; and paskha , a
rich, sweet cheese dish for Easter. Alya gladly shares her recipes,
laughing at the assumption that they are old family treasures. “My
mother hated to cook and her menu was quite limited,” she says.
“I learned by trial and error, practicing on Bob.”
Though she seldom speaks Hungarian anymore, Alya puts her
Serbian to good use. When several Bosnian refugee families settled
in Addison County a few years ago, she plunged into helping them
find housing,jobs, and medical care; enroll in school; and cope with
daunting legal details and social adjustments. “It was a second full¬
time job,” she admits, but a solid success. The local Bosnian com¬
munity is thriving, and Alya’s grateful new acquaintances have
become devoted friends. She is still on call as a trouble-shooter,
however, and she recently received a Winooski Police Department
arm band as a token of thanks for late-night emergency translating.
A more substantial expression of appreciation is the Alexandra
and Robert Baker Central/East European Endowed Scholarship
established by an anonymous Middlebury graduate to help stu¬
dents from central and east Europe, including the former Soviet
Union, attend the College. Alya is pleased by both the Baker
Scholarship and the AATSEEL award. “I once was told that the
rewards of teaching are long delayed,” she says. “Now I know that
this is true.” But if a teacher’s rewards include her students’ success¬
es and expressions of gratitude and affection, Alya is abundantly
rewarded almost every day.
David Remnick, now the editor of the New Yorker magazine,
attended the Russian School in 1987 before beginning a Moscow
assignment for the Washington Post. He says, “I came to her with
every bad habit and failing the instrumental case, and she turned
me around. I wouldn’t say that by the time I arrived in Moscow
my new Russian friends mistook me for their own, but I would say
that they raised one eyebrow instead of two. What she really did
was help lay a foundation so that in a year’s time I was all right. So,
hats off to Alexandra Baker. Molodets (way to go)!”
Judy Olinick is a coordinator for the Russian School.
Fall 37
BY MARK SYNNOTT '93
CLIMBING THE BIG
WALL
DOCUMENTING A FIRST ASCENT ON BAFFIN ISLAND
FOR THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
4
T he Twin Otter banked a sharp turn to the right, and
then literally dove over the top of Sail Peak s northwest face.
As the plane tipped up on its side and began to drop, my
view of the vertiginous granite wall was distorted by the g-force,
which made it look ludicrously overhanging. Our team of climbers
began cheering like kids at an amusement park. Pinned to our
seats, we lost 5,000 feet of elevation in a matter of seconds, then
leveled off just above the frozen surface of Stewart Lake. The ice
had appeared silky smooth from above, but closer inspection now
revealed it to be riddled with cracks and pressure ridges. “Should
we abort the landing?” I tried to yell, but my voice was drowned
in Climbing magazine: “Yosemite Valley would count as a minor
side fjord if it were located along this coast.” In 1995, prompted by
Fishers photo essay, I traveled to the Sam Ford Fjord and returned
for a second time in 1996. All told, over the course of those two
years, I spent four months climbing on the rock walls lining Sam
Ford Fjord. During that time I established three first ascents,
including the north face of Polar Sun Spire—a 4,700-foot spire
that took 39 days to climb.
Our 1998 Baffin expedition included six people: four climbers
(myself, Jared Ogden, Greg Child, and Alex Lowe) and two cam¬
eramen (Gordon Wiltsie and John Catto). We arrived in Clyde
We now had to do
everything while attached
to the cliff with a rope.
Everything, from cooking to
going to the bathroom, had to
be coordinated and orchestrated
with the entire group.
John Catto taking in the view at the second bivoac on Sail Peak's upper head wall.
out by the din of the engines and our pilot, who came on over the
PA: “Brace yourselves, this is gonna be a rough one.”When the skis
collided with the rock hard ice, our plane started skipping like a
stone across the lake, sending us into a dangerous tailspin. Reacting
quickly, our pilot, Duncan, gunned one of the engines, and we
skidded to a stop. The six of us climbed out onto Stewart Lake, on
the east coast of Baffin Island, where the temperature was a brac¬
ing -30 degrees Farenheit. For several minutes, we stood in silent
awe of the majestic cliffs lining both sides of this remote arctic val¬
ley. Towering directly above us, one of the best big walls any of us
had ever seen was basking in the amber light of an evening sunset.
“Well boys,” said Greg, the trip leader,“I guess this will have to do.”
Truly, we could not have picked a better place to search for
uncharted big walls. The east coast of Baffin Island is incised by a
series of 26 Qords, the vast majority of which have never been vis¬
ited by nonnative people.Varying between 30 to 70 miles in length,
these §ords are lined, like granite corridors, with sea cliffs of stag¬
gering proportions. Located north of Hudson Bay and west of
Greenland, the bulk of this sparsely populated island lies above 66
degrees latitude (the Arctic Circle). Less than 10,000 Inuit call Baffin
home, a population that has survived by hunting marine mammals
in this treeless, barren wasteland for more than 4,000 years.
The big walls reach their maximum potential in the Sam Ford
Fjord, which contains several formations bigger than Yosemites
3,000-foot El Capitan. As photographer and Baffin expert Eugene
Fisher explained in a 1994 Baffin Island photo essay that appeared
40 Middlebury Magazine
River on May 20, still close enough to winter that the temperature
hovered around zero. Since most of the walls rise directly from the
ocean, the only way to safely approach these sea cliffs is to travel
when the ocean is still locked beneath a six-foot-thick ice sheet.
Consequently, climbers must arrive in May and be finished by early
July when the ice finally breaks up. Breakup is a dangerous time of
year, when pack ice makes the fjords impassable by skidoo or boat.
As was their custom, our outfitters, the Illuaq family, invited us
to their home to have dinner on our first night in town. In their
two-story wooden house on the outskirts of Clyde River (pop.
250), Beverly prepared a traditional Inuit meal of arctic char and
polar bear. Jushua, her husband and the head guide, sat back smok¬
ing his hand-rolled cigarettes, looking deadly serious one moment
and then giggling uncontrollably the next. He and a few of his fel¬
low guides, an uncle and two cousins, clucked away in their native
Inuktitut language. We never knew exactly what they were talking
about, but they kept looking us over, and then busting up laugh¬
ing. Even if it was at our expense, we couldn’t help but get caught
up in their good humor.
The plan was to have Jushua and a few of his men drag us and
our gear the 70 miles into the Stewart Valley aboard giant sleds
called komatiks. The flat, frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean is a
veritable highway for the Inuit and their snowmobiles for eight
months out of the year, so we did not anticipate any great hin¬
drances, other than bundling up against the stinging cold.
In ideal conditions, you should be able to snowmobile into
Stewart Valley in two long days. Unfortunately, it stormed nearly
constantly after the day we arrived. Nine days after leaving Clyde
Photography by Mark Synnott
■
Rations such as food and fuel
have to be calculated with
mathematical precision, and
no item, no matter how small,
can be overlooked.
How many calories will we
need per day?
How much fuel will it take to melt
snow into drinking water?
Because the media was involved, they decided to haul "the kitchen sink"—that meant 23
haul bags, each one holding between 60 and 80 pounds.
River by snowmobile, we arrived at the base of our objective, thor¬
oughly frozen and road worn from the hard trip. Only a few hours
after bidding good-bye to our Inuit friends and pitching our tents,
we loaded up for our first carry to the base of the wall. It was
approximately 1,500 feet of steep post-holing in knee-deep snow,
which was no easy task under the 80-pound haul bags.
We spent the next week making three and four carries a day.
Because of the media involvement in our climb, we decided to give
ourselves a wide measure of security by hauling what climbers
refer to as “the kitchen sink.” We had 23 haul bags, each holding
between 60 and 80 pounds. They contained an untold fortune in
camera gear, hundreds of rolls of film, huge bags of beef jerky,
freeze-dried dinners, hundreds of cliff bars, sleeping bags, bivi sacks,
portaledges (hanging bat tents that clip to the wall and sleep two),
a VHF radio, a notebook computer, solar panels, and nearly 2,000
feet of rope. The rock in Baffin Island, a granitic gneiss, is quite
young, which means it hasn’t had a lot of time to get split up by
cracks. Normally, these lines of weakness are the routes that
climbers seek out. Only in cracks, preferably between 1 /8 and 4
inches wide, can climbers find placements for pitons, wired stop¬
pers, and camming devices—the tools of the trade.
The first 1,700 feet of the wall was somewhat low angle and
broken. Above this unaesthetic section of the route, the face was
split by an enormous ledge, several football fields wide. Our plan
was to climb up to this ledge, laying static ropes behind us a's we
went. We would then use these ropes to haul our bags up to our
first camp. We were lucky in that the ledge contained several large
snow patches we could use to melt drinking water. This meant we
could avoid hauling this significant weight (approximately eight
pounds per gallon) of water bottles from the bottom.
Thorough logistical planning is an essential requirement for
any climbing expedition heading to a remote, alpine environment.
Rations such as food and fuel have to be calculated with mathe¬
matical precision, and no item, no matter how small, can be over¬
looked. How many calories will we need per day? How much fuel
will it take to melt snow into drinking water? Expeditions have to
learn the ropes by a frustrating process of trial and error. To com¬
pound the problem, we knew that to document the entire ascent
with stills and video, we would have to climb the wall once for real,
and then again for the cameras.
We lived on the big ledge, 1,700 feet up the wall, for about 10
days before we were finally ready to move up our camp. It took us
about 24 hours to haul our three-ring circus another 1,000 feet
vertically. The hauling was brutally hard work, and it chafed my
hips and legs raw under my harness. In keeping with our capsule-
style ascent, our plan was to continue fixing pitches above the
hanging camp, until we felt within striking distance of the top.
Unlike ledge camp, where we had been able to walk around
completely unroped, we now had to do everything while attached
to the cliff with a rope. Everything, from cooking to going to the
bathroom, had to be coordinated and orchestrated with the entire
group. Our system required that someone was always on lead. Four
climbers could be split into two groups, and with 24 hours of day¬
light, there was no reason not to be constantly pushing the route
forward. This also left time for half the group to work on filming,
while the others climbed ahead. A big question throughout our
climb was whether the crack would ever peter out. Scoping this
line from below with binoculars, it had been impossible to tell
whether our crack system continued above the roof we were now
sleeping under. You could just barely make out a faint ripple in the
rock, but it could easily have been a water streak, some lichen, or
even a vein of quartz or calcite. It was a gamble, because the route
was leading us into the middle of the blankest headwall I’d ever
seen. If the crack suddenly ended, we would be forced to drill bolts
(a hateful task) or possibly bail.
42 Mid dlebury Magazine
Hanging by a thread is a way of life for climbers like Synnott.
Somehow our dreams had been answered, because the tiny fis¬
sure in the rock, often no more than 1/16 inch thick, just kept
going and going. It was hard to get into a rhythm with our climb¬
ing because our conflicting schedules and agendas created a hodge¬
podge of people doing what they could when they felt like it. The
24 hours of daylight allowed us to split into two climbing teams so
someone was always up on the sharp end, pushing the route ahead.
It also meant that no one was getting enough sleep, and after
a week of listening to water dripping on the rain fly of the por-
taledge, we were all feeling pretty frazzled. Jared and I were push¬
ing the route ahead one day, planning to fix two lines and return
to camp, when we noticed that the rim of the wall was only about
300 feet overhead. We hadn’t been able to see the top for a while,
and while we knew we were close, we hadn’t realized how close.
“What do you think?” Jared asked, with a conniving grin on
his face. “Should we go for it?” We had made a plan to return to
the wall camp one more time before going for the top, and the
other guys would definitely be bummed it we led their pitches.
Still, there was the top, right above us, beckoning.
I called down to wall camp and learned, in no uncertain terms,
that we were expected to wait because there was more filming to
do. In contrast to all of our previous climbs, which we had done
for fun, this was indeed a paying job. There were strings attached,
and one of them was tugging on us now. Reluctantly, we huddled
up on a small shady ledge to wait for the rest of the team. We knew
it would be a while before they suited up and jumared the 900 feet
of free hanging static line to join us.
Reaching the summit of a big wall climb can be a lot different
than making the summit of a big snowy peak. Although this
mountain did have a fairly distinct high point, it did not represent
to us the pinnacle of our ascent. The wall itself had been far more
dramatic and challenging than this low angle talus field. It was a
relief to know, though, that we had succeeded, not only in climb¬
ing the wall, but in capturing the experience on film and video.
The climb resulted in a January 1999 article in National Geographic
and a show on the PBS National Geographic Explorer Series.
Mark Synnott ’93 is a freelance photojonrnalist and professional climber.
A contributing editor to Climbing Magazine, lie’s a member of the North
Face Climbing Team and lines in Jackson, N.H., with his wife and son.
CALEN DAR
NYC December 8, Holiday Reception
Middlebury November 12-13, Bicentennial Symposium:
Commitment to Our World
Middlebury November 13, Concert Series: Music From China
Chicago November 13, Family Day at Kohls Children Museum
Middlebury November 19, Midd Chamber Soloists:
20th Century Americans In Paris
Chicago November 23, NESCAC Happy Hour
France November 20-28, Football Reunion
DECEMBER 1999
Boston December 1, Holiday Reception, State Street Bank
Middlebury December 9-11, Theatre Production:The Rover
JANUARY 2000
Middlebury January 15, Concert Series: The Vermeer Quartet
Middlebury January 15, Alumna Film Screening:
Gretchen Widmer ’88, All the Rage
Middlebury January 18- April 16, Museum Exhibition:
Fifty Years: Faculty Art at Middlebury
Middlebury January 20-22, Theatre Production: Blue Forest
Middlebury January 22, Alumnus Film Screening:
Rick Shane ’69, Always Outnumbered
46 Middlebury Magazine
Photograph by Bob H a n d e l m a n
CHAPTER NEWS
SPOTLIGHT ON
THE NEW YORK CHAPTER
a
I
JLah
r’s Snowing,” proclaimed a large billboard in front
of the Brooklyn Museum on a hot day last June.
Knd indeed it was—in over 100 Impressionist paint¬
ings on loan from all over the world for a spectacular
exhibition, “Impressionists in Winter: Effets de Neige.”
The exhibition drew over 70 participants from the New
York area for a special visit to the museum and the
neighboring Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.
Kirsten Powell, the Christian A. Johnson Professor ol
Art, opened the morning with a slide talk to prepare vis¬
itors for the exhibition. With parallels to Robert Frosts
sense of snow, she sketched some of the reasons why the
French Impressionists saw the depiction of the snowy
landscape as the ultimate artistic challenge. Following
Professor Powell’s introduction, the group took in the
exhibition at its leisure, observing how the Impressionists
learned to see color in shadows and abstract forms in
snow-covered fields. With stunning paintings like
Monets ice floes and snow-covered haystacks, memories
of Middlebury winters merged with images of 19th-
century France.
Battling a mild case of climate shock, the group
moved to the lush Brooklyn Botanical Gardens after
lunch, enjoying the brilliant June day and summers
return. Special thanks to Briana Miller ’96 and Mary
Robertson ’94 who organized this wonderful event. For
more information about upcoming New York City
chapter organization, attending events, contact Mary at
718-488-8410; mhrobertson@yahoo.com
LACROSSE AT 8,000 FEET
The dream of sending a Middlebury alumni lacrosse team to the Vail Lacrosse Shootout
became a reality when 35 former Middlebury players entered the master’s division for the
first time in 1997. Players from the classes of '60, '10, and '80 were reunited to field a
competitive, all-alumni team that has returned in 1997, 1998 and 1999for eight days
of lacrosse at eight thousand feet. Interested lacrosse alums should check out the club's
Web site at http://uninv.middleburylacrosse.oig to learn more about the alumni team or
contact Bob Sideli '77 at info@middleburylacrosse.org.
AT HOME AGAIN
IN
MIDDLEBURY
“T A /lien I graduated, I called the
V V alumni office and said, ‘Take
my name off the mailing list.’ I had
had a falling out with one of our
deans and I didn’t even want to asso¬
ciate with Middlebury. Well, 10 years
went by and my only contact with
Middlebury was some visits to see
my old college roommate, but I kept
feeling that something was missing from my life. I finally
realized the spat that I had with the College might have been
important when I was a 21-year-old, but 10 years later, it just
didn’t seem as important. It was back in 1985 that I called the
alumni office and asked them to put my name back on the
mailing list.
The first Middlebury Magazine I received had an ad in it
for alumni admissions volunteers, so I called their office and
suddenly I was doing college fairs in Southern California. I
began talking with high school kids and their parents at these
fairs and it really helped me to fall in love with the College
all over again. Then I came back for my 10th reunion in ’86
and had a great time — that really cemented my relationship
with Middlebury. Before I knew it, I got to know a number
of people on staff, a bunch of students, especially those who
I had interviewed in the alumni admissions process, and every
time I headed back to the Champlain Valley, it was like coming
home again.
Five years ago, my wife Judi and I had come back so many
times that we really felt like part of the Midd family. We knew
for many years that California did not offer the quality of life
we were looking for, so we made a five-year plan to move to
Middlebury. I’m a tax accountant, and technology has enabled
my business to move with us. So here it is 1999, we moved
into our house just a few miles from campus, and our plan is
basically complete.
The College is a great place to visit and to just be around,
but it’s the kids who we feel closest to. The connections with
them are so important — they’re just great kids — they are the
life blood of this place.” — Kim Loewer ’76
Middlebur y_
The Bicentennial Campaign
1 800*2000
Fall 47
Midd Connection
LASS NOTES
DIRECTORS OF THE MIDDLEBURY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Richard G. Silton 80, President * Becky E. Casde ’91,Vice President # Paula Carr Cummings ’82, President,
Ex Officio * Jessica N. Angell ’96, President, Boston Chaper * Jason Bacon ’84, Co-president, London Chapter
* Sara Bremner Barry ’91, Communications * Richard N. Brown ’88, Co-president, Philadelphia Chapter *
James R. Calise ’88, President, Atlanta Chapter * Jill Cowperthwaite ’76, President, Denver Chapter * Suzanne
K. Daley ’96, Co-president, Chicago Chapter # Jean Rau Dawes ’61, Admissions # Denver G. Edwards ’88,
Career Services # Jenna Ermold ’95, President, Northern Vermont Chapter * Wendell C. Fleming ’78,
Nominating Committee * Simon R. Gerlin ’80, Communications # Scott N. Codes ’94, Co-president,
Washington, D.C. Chapter * Kirtley M. Horton ’95, Co-president, London Chapter # Rawson Hubbell ’85,
Nominating Committee * Arianne Faber Kolb ’88, President, San Francisco Chapter * Lynn Holley Krugman
’91, Co-president, Baltimore Chapter * Karen L. Lewis ’97, Co-president, Baltimore Chapter # Kim P. Loewer
’76, Admissions * Katherine W. Long ’91, Co-president, New York Chapter * Kelly A. Meagher ’91, President,
Seattle Chapter ♦ Michelle Marie Millin ’88, Career Services ♦ Julie Moriarty ’95, Co-president, Chicago
Chapter # Nicholas P. Nebolsine ’94, Co-president, Washington, DC, Chapter # Robert J. North ’66, At large
* Erica R. Omundsen ’94, Co-president, Hartford Chapter # Stephen D. Ramos ’76, Co-president,
Philadelphia Chapter # Dorothy Hart Rand ’54, Career Services * Mary H. Robertson ’94, Co-president,
New York Chapter # Jean B. Seeler ’60, Class Secretaries # Cynthia L. Strong ’81, Communications # Tamara
L. Taylor ’90, President, Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter # Christopher J. Waddell ’91, Communications *
Rich Wagman ’84, Co-president, Baltimore Chapter * Peter E.Wiemeyer ’91, Co-president, Hartford Chapter
Ex Officio: F. Robert Huth,Vice President for Administration and Treasurer # Elizabeth Hackett Robinson ’84,
Director of Alumni and Parent Programs ♦ Hugh W. Marlow ’57, Executive Secretary of the Alumni
Association * James R. Ralph, Jr. ’82, Faculty Representative * Beth Karnes, Graduate Alumni * Ruth Henry,
Director, Annual Giving
Class Secretary: Dr. Ward Oliver,
35 North Grand St., Cobleskill, NY
12043.
We are indebted to Gertrude Knight Cleverdon
’35 for sending news of our Evelyn Plumley
Adams. Evelyn and Gertrude are both residents of
Rivermead in Peterborough, NH. As you will
recall, Evelyn was well known for a remarkable col¬
lection of trilliums at her Wellesley, MA, home.
When she retired to Rivermead a few years ago,
her entire collection was moved to the Garden in
the Woods in Framingham, MA, where it could be
preserved. A group of Rivermead residents recently
made a special trip down to see the trilliums.
Gertrude reports that, although Evelyn did not
attempt to make the trip herself, she was very
pleased for her friends to see the flowers. # We
regret to report the death of Esther Sargent
Urquhart on March 3. Her sister, the late Aroline
H. Sargent, was a member of the Class of 1922. We
send the condolences of the class to all of Esther’s
family, including granddaughter Lindsay Putnam
’80. A memorial appeared in the summer issue.
Class Secretary: Mrs.J.D. Coombs
(Miriam Sweet), 13 Highland St.,
Concord, MA 01142 (phone 918/369-
5595).
Fall greetings.You will have read the memorial to
our classmate, Gordon Wiley, in the summer issue
of this magazine. The news came to me as I was
about to send 93rd birthday wishes to him. Fall
seems just the right time to remember Gordon. We
first met him in September ’24, as one of the 1928
prospective freshman football candidates. He, along
with Ron Furbush, George Hinman, Carleton
Simmons, and Nap Blanchette, were all deter¬
mined to play, even if the squad had no regular
playing field and their training involved running
around the campus. They made it. They had mosdy
prep school opponents that first year and all of
them were playing when Gordon became the cap¬
tain of Midd varsity during our junior year.
Gordon’s quiet leadership was also recognized
when he was chosen to represent his fraternity in
Dalta Tau, an organization promoting athletics,
planning activities, and acting as hosts for visiting
teams. As one classmate said, “I remember nothing
but nice things about Gordon.” We did not hear
from him often after college, but Elizabeth
Stoughton Westfall and her husband were fortu¬
nate to have Gordon and his wife and family as
church friends in Delmar, NY. We send our sympa¬
thy to his family: Mary Lou ’51, Robert ’55,James
’64, and Jane. * Elizabeth Stoughton Westfall is
very content at Franciscan Manor, Beaver Falls, PA
15010. She is near her daughter and family. She
avoids the early morning breakfast schedule by get¬
ting her own, but she enjoys the fellowship that
lunch and dinner provide. Available transportation
allows her the independence to do shopping and
banking. Lib’s telephone number is 813-497-1409
and her room number is 205. Call her! * Ruth
Simmons Dinkel and her family have a unique
birthday celebration scheme. They find a day when
they can all be together and celebrate all their
birthdays at once. Though she doesn’t call attention
to her own, we know her secret. She acknowledges
that her current reading material would not meet
“Davy’s” American lit standards. # We were not
sure that Storrs Lee would come back to Maine
after spending the winter in Hawaii, but he did
come back in April. He continues to garden, but
claims that this year’s effort is not up to standard. *
Helen Revere Hatch will be involved not only
with symphony this season, but also with Venice
Opera (connected with Sarasota Opera). After that
100-cream-puff story, I had to ask about possible
new culinary creations. Would you believe, just
right for fall, she has added cherry tomatoes, stuffed
with cheese and a bit of brandy? She credits her
teacher who has Parker House and Fannie Farmer
roots with inspiring her. # Tib Moody Rice
sends greetings from her Dartmouth Court apart¬
ment in Bedford, MA.Visits to her daughter in RI
are the extent of her travels these days. * Here in
Concord, we’re celebrating Concord’s Ephraim
Bull’s sowing of the Concord grape 150 years ago
and dentist Thomas Welch’s pasteurization of grape
juice 20 years later. Welch’s headquarters, now in
Concord, have given access to all the old ads, even
to “Howdy Doody.”The Concord Museum exhibit
will continue to November, giving another “leaf
peeping” Concord attraction. I’ve learned not to
begin my calls to you with the annoying “How are
you today?”You’re all so smart and wary that I’m at
risk of hang-ups. Proud of you. Mimi
STAY IN TOUCH WITH
MIDDLEBURY!
If no class secretary is listed for your
class, just send your news directly to the
Alumni Editor, Middlebury Magazine,
Middlebury College, Meeker House,
Middlebury, VT 05753.
■
E
1
Find a friend through our alumni
directory http://www.
digitalfrontier.com/
middalum/index. html
Class Secretary: Dr. Raymond J.
Saulnier, 230 Heron Point, Chestertown,
MD 21620-1616.
It was a sentimental and very pleasant journey to
go back to Middlebury for the 70th Reunion of
our 1929 class. There were four of us to represent
the class— Grace Cheney Greene, Eula Cargill
Kelley, Ruth Rogers Lambert, and myself—and
we were handsomely entertained by the College.
Housed conveniently and comfortably in Gifford
(it wasn’t there in 1925!), we had a festive Saturday
lunch at 3 South Street, with gifts for each of us
and a class photo on the lawn. Our dinner was in
the president’s dining room in Proctor Hall. Then
we had front seats at the Mead Chapel convocation
of reunion classes. We were last to march in, under
a large 1929 banner, with loud cheers and some
gasps of surprise at our advanced age. There were
many occasions to visit among ourselves and with
members of other classes. The only regret is that so
many of our class could not be there, but there will
be an opportunity to correct that next year when
the College celebrates its 200th birthday. Let’s plan
to be there. # On a sad note, as mentioned in the
last column, I must report the recent death of
Morris T. “Morrie” Johnson in Batavia, NY, his
long-time home, after a long and notably construc¬
tive career as a farmer, a leader in the development
of farm and community financing agencies, and a
great force for good in his community. I believe
Morrie had hoped until recently to attend the 70th
Reunion. # You will have also seen a memorial
for Sigrid Manty Doubleday in the summer
issue. We send the condolences of the class to her
daughter, Barbara M. Doubleday ’60.
Class Secretaries: Mrs. Spencer E.
Norton (Ellen Kellogg), 21 S. Water St.,
Vergennes, VT 05491; and Mr. Walton T.
Crocker, Ocean View, #218, 52
Falmouth Rd., Falmouth, ME 04105.
We are sorry to report that Walt Crocker, whose
90th birthday celebration was reported in the sum¬
mer issue, recently took a fall and fractured his hip.
He is doing as well as can be expected in assisted
living and would love to hear from friends at the
address above. We are hopeful that E. Parker
Calvert (6251 Old Dominion Dr.. #225, McLean,
IRECTORY
EMAIL
Middlebury Magazine
VA 22101) will lend us a hand with reporting class
notes for our column. * Congratulations are in
order to several more classmates who have celebrat¬
ed their 90th birthdays. The list now includes
Parker Calvert, Marshall Montgomery, Phil
Bates, Phil Brewer, Ken MacClelland, and
Dick Fear. * Mary Stolte Toomey writes that
she is “back on the golf course again, but ‘the form
ain’t what it uster be.’ Does anyone else have trou¬
ble keeping flower beds pristine? I look forward to
weekly bridge when Jo Knox Divoll ’35 returns
from Florida.” # We regret to report the death of
Frances Everett Hanchett on September 26,
1998. Her husband, John, died less than three
months later. We send the condolences of the class
to her family, especially son John Hanchett in
Fairbanks, AK.
Class Secretaries: Volunteers are needed
to help with news gathering for the Class
of 1932. Please address inquiries to Dotty
McCarty, Alumni Editor, Middlebury
Magazine, Meeker House, Middlebur)' College,
Middlebury, VT 05753.
With great sadness, we must report the death of
Marion Jones Munford. Cancer claimed her on
July 20,1999, at home on South Street with her
family Ever a humble person, Marion succeeded in
doing a great deal to help the needy, simply by per¬
sisting in her quiet way. We convey our condo¬
lences to her loved ones, especially her husband,
Howard ’34, and their children, Martha Munford
Hillemann 79 and David Munford 72. A memori¬
al appears elsewhere in this issue, but we would like
to reprint excerpts from the citation read at the
presentation of her honorary degree in 1994:
“Marion Munford has been a community volun¬
teer and leader in Addison County for decades.
After graduating from Middlebury College, she
taught English, history, and biology, and embarked
on a long career in library work at Dartmouth,
Harvard, Boston City Hospital, the Bread Loaf
School of English, and Porter Hospital in
Middlebury. Starting in 1960, she directed and
taught laboratory sections in Middlebury College’s
biology department for several years and later
served as codirector of a program designed to bring
African American students to the campus for a spe¬
cial summer academic program in the wake of the
assassination of Martin Luther King. Among the
community programs she has helped to initiate,
run, or support in recent years have been the
Christmas Shop, which has provided clothing and
toys for more than 600 Addison County children;
the Clothing Room, a program she established to
provide clean clothing to hundreds of low income
families in the area; the John Graham Shelter, a
homeless shelter inVergennes; and Volunteers for
Community Action, a group which created the first
modern-day food shelf in the ’60s which is still
alive and strong.” Her presence in Middlebury will
be sorely missed, but long remembered.
33
Elmwood Ln.
5761).
Class Secretary: Mrs. Edward W Weeks
(Mar)> Duryee), P.O. Box 151,
Ashburnham, MA 01430, and Mrs. W.
Dale Brown (Miriam Barber), 2830
Mount Dora, FL 32757 (352/735-
Catawba College has bestowed its highest honor
upon Mary Omwake Dearborn. On May 12
she received the Adrian L. Shuford Award for
1 )istinguished Service from the president of
Catawba College in Hickory, NC.The award is
given annually to the individual who has played an
outstanding role in supporting the college and its
programs through time, talent, and resources.
Daughter of the 15th president of Catawba, Mary
taught French and physical education there from
1933 to 1940 and worked in the alumni office
from 1968 to 1977. Mary actively supports theater
and music events on the campus and is also active
in the United Church of Christ. Her late husband,
Donald Dearborn, served Catawba as professor and
president of the college. A resident of Salisbury,
Mary has three children and five grandchildren. #
From Ralph C. Whitney: “I will be 92 on
November 29, 1999. Taught in various Vermont
and New York schools, all sciences, until retirement
at 65 years. Seven years during World War II in
machine shop. So be it!” # Mary Omwake
Dearborn, Ruth Nodding Hopkins, and Mary
Duryee Weeks had lunch with Doris Hiller Lynch
’35 at her Carol Woods Retirement Home in
Chapel Hill, NC last April. # Sympathy is extend¬
ed to classmate Fenwick Buffum in the loss of his
beloved wife, Mildred. She and “Buff” attended
many class reunions. Following his early retirement
in 1970, he realized a boyhood dream. Together
they owned the Mil-Fen Farm in Maurertown,VA,
raising (and occasionally racing) thoroughbred race
horses. Buff has been visiting their daughters and
families, as he considers possible life in a retire¬
ment-home setting.
Class Secretaries: Mrs. Andrew W. Reid
(Eleanor Orde), 25 Walhowdon Way,
Lebanon, NH 03766; and James A.
Fechheimer, 26 Salem Way, Glen Head,
NY 11545.
When 1 (Eleanor) and my husband, Andrew W.
Reid, came to our 50th Middlebury Reunion in
1984, we stayed at the Middlebury Inn. After my
husband’s death, I returned for my 60th Reunion
and again stayed at the Inn. But for the very special
65th Reunion of our class, 1 wanted to stay at the
College, perhaps to bring back memories. I was
amazed at the diversity of the College program and
the skill with which everything was planned and
executed. Certainly the highlight of the weekend
was the alumni convocation Saturday morning in
Mead Chapel when the classes gathered. James
Fechheimer and I, as class secretaries of the hon¬
ored 65th returning class led our classmates down
the center aisle to row two, amid the clapping and
tapping of Gamaliel Painter’s canes. I found this
very moving and wished all our class members
could have been present. Luncheon was served at
President and Mrs. McCardell’s home, followed by
our class picture taking. In the evening, our class
dinner at Proctor—where we were entertained by
a delightful group of student vocalists—brought a
fine day to an end. An appropriate farewell was the
Sunday service at Mead Chapel. * On a sad note,
we have received notice of the deaths of three class¬
mates: former class secretary Marion Day Ellison
(March 28), Evald B. Olson (February 5), and
Louis G. Caiazza (no date available).We send the
condolences of the class to their families.
Memorials appeared in the summer issue for
Marion and Evald.
35
Class Secretaries: Miss Avis E. Fischer,
Wood River Vgc., #/ 102, 3200
Bensalem Bind., Bcnsalem, PA 19020;
and Alma Davis Struble (Mrs. Robert),
1977 Marlboro Rd., Kennett Square, PA 19348.
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Fall 49
Midd Connection
Alma Davis Struble says she has “had great fun
writing my autobiography for the younger genera¬
tions in the family, recalling old friends, rethinking
past experiences, re-seeing in my imagination many
of the places I visited around the world. I recom¬
mend this activity to all who have time—and that
should be most of us at this stage of our lives. I
hope someday to put more life in it by telling it on
tape. If you don’t know where to start, how about
the day you were born? You’ll find it easy once you
put pen to paper. And use some photographs to
add interest.” * Doris Tucker Kniskern is still
living in her own home, but not driving any more.
“My children and grandchildren keep me happy.
Retired from the public library (part time) at 84,
when I broke my hip.” * Natalie Dunsmoor
writes: “I am so thankful that I have good eyesight,
I can hear, I can write (no computers in my life), I
can walk, I can dance, I can sing, I can drive my
car, I can manage living alone in my family home¬
stead—but I forget my next door neighbor’s name
every once in awhile. I continue to be involved
with many church groups in Waterbury and I try to
attend all state and national church celebrations.” *
Carroll and Virginia Easier Wilson entertain fre-
quendy and often “play silly games.” Ginny is a vol¬
unteer in the library of their retirement community
in Sarasota. At a tea recently they raised $7,000 in
contributions, “the most ever.” Every Friday the
Wilsons attend vespers, where Carroll sings in the
men’s chorus. * Louise Fleig Newman writes
that eruptions and earthquakes she experienced in
Anchorage were nothing compared with the May
tornado in Oklahoma. Happier news was her
birthday celebration with most of their three gen¬
erations together to shop, dine out, go to church,
and make plans for our 65th Reunion at Midd.
When she learned that Carroll and Ginny Easier
Wilson were planning a summer trip on the QE
II, she remembered her own first ocean voyage to
Germany in 1929: “That ocean voyage was so spe¬
cial to have at age 16!” Louise is a volunteer in a
hospital shop that earned $25,000 last year. She has
returned to TX to visit travel-agent-daughter Suzie
and to see old friends. One trip to TX included a
luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, a project in which her
husband, Bud Newman ’33, had been involved. *
Mundy Allen Keppler reports from the West
Coast that she indulges herself with Meals on
Wheels and a cleaning woman. Daughter Carol,
“supreme caretaker,” indulges her further for “shop¬
ping, edible goodies, etc.—and the important part
of the etc. is chocolate—underlined, exclamation
point.” Most of us would agree with her that “the
most difficult part of change is not driving.” #
After a bout with intolerance for wheat, Gertrude
Knight Cleverdon writes: “I have become a read¬
er of labels.” Good advice for all of us! She has
helped to develop many activities in her retirement
community, including a sugaring-off party and visits
to Monadnock music programs and the
Peterborough Players. Gertrude still drives, so she is
the envy of her friends. She was celebrating July 4
in WI, with about 10 days of fun with relatives
from CA and AK. # Jessie Gibson Prouty orga¬
nized a get-together for all her family, including
some members from CO and Philadelphia, on the
beach at Harwichport.They had two cottages and a
terrific time: “It was just wonderful.” # A year ago,
Betty Bryan Sheldon moved to a retirement
community (207 Reed’s Landing, Springfield, MA
01109), where she volunteers in the assisted living
and memory impaired areas. In spring she and a
son and daughter enjoyed a trip to Scodand.They
I
had seven out of nine beautiful days, which she
thinks must be “some kind of record.” In June, she
had “a good gabfest with Natt ’34 and Jo Knox
Divoll. Mavis “Joney”Jones Little ’36 visited the
same day. * Vera Brooks Knapp writes: “Quality
time with family and friends is a high priority
Thoroughly enjoy the holidays spent with son
Gary and his wife, Paula, in their lovely new home
in Colchester, within easy walking distance of
beautiful Lake Champlain. Granddaughter Carrie is
in banking in Boston. Granddaughter Christy and
her husband have moved to San Diego.” * We
regret to report the death of Maijorie McCann
Hayne on February 15. In college she was active
in sports and was a member of both the Press Club
and Wig and Pen. She was on the Dean’s List her
freshman year. To all her family, the class sends
heartfelt condolences. A memorial appeared in the
summer issue.
Class Secretaries: Mrs. M. W. Herrington
(Ret Hanson), P.O. Box 390, Saranac
Lake, NY 12983; and Dr. Angus M.
Brooks, Odd Fellows Home, 200
Pleasant St., #273, Concord, NH 03301.
Ray and Harmony Buell Cobb recendy
returned from a cruise on the Baltic Sea. Using
their ship as a hotel, they went ashore at nine
places, including Stockholm, St. Petersburg, and
Copenhagen. Ray had injured himself in a fall, so
they were unsure until the last minute whether
they would be able to take the trip. # Last spring,
Agnes Harris Taylor went to FL, where she plays
golf on a beautiful 18-hole course. * In May,
Barbara Warner Barry had an operation due to a
fall which damaged her spleen. Otherwise, she has
managed to keep quite well, living in her big house
alone. # Anna Mayo is managing quite well,
despite her eye problems. She is still able to drive
locally. # Janet Howe Adams lias recovered well
from a recent back operation, although husband
Charles is now confined to a wheelchair due to a
stroke. The good news is that daughter Susan is
moving from TX back to their mid-Atlantic area.
Son Peter and daughter Lynne already live nearby.
# Mavis Jones Little recently spent several days
visiting Betty Bryan Sheldon in an elegant
retirement home in Springfield, MA. While there,
she heard of our July deadline for class notes and
very kindly sent me a note. She and Betty had
lunch with Div ’34 and Jo Knox Divoll ’35. *
Louise Hutchinson spent the summer in
Bradford,VT, returning in the fall to her retirement
home at Heritage Heights in Concord, NH, where
she often talks with Angus Brooks and Frances
Wilkinson Russ. She also corresponds with
Josephine Anderson Michaud and Clarice
Gilpin Seymour. * Katie and Angus Brooks
are enjoying their third-floor view of residential
Concord from the Odd Fellows Home.They take
their meals in a large dining room with others on
an independent living program. They continue to
use their car for errands into Concord; Angus still
uses his five-speed bicycle for exercise and pleasure.
He and Katie remember his bicycle tours into VT,
including a 1975 trip when he pedaled from
Middlebury up to Bread Loaf and coasted down
into Hancock. Katie and Angus enjoyed a late
spring visit from Max and Ret Hanson
Herrington, who had been visiting daughter
Nancy near Boston. The four joined Alfred and
Frances Wilkinson Russ for lunch in town,
where they enjoyed good food and good talk. Ret
and Max told about a bicycle trip for the benefit of
WHAT THEY'D DO
DIFFERENTLY IF THEY
COULD
"DO IT ALL AGAIN...."
“Nothing, if I started again as it was in
1931.1 have always thought that I was
in a dream world my four years at
Middlebury—I didn’t know what was
happening in the country or the world.
There were no cars on campus, no
problems with drugs—it was hard work
but fun to learn, and I made so many
good friends!
—Doris Tucker Kniskern ’35
COBLESKILL, NY
“Work to get straight As from Steve
Freeman! I would have taken some
courses in art, preferably watercolor.
I regret not having a course with Dr.
Cook.”
—Mary StolteToomey ’31
Grafton, VT
“I would not have picked up whooping
cough, which quarantined me from
shortly after Christmas until shortly
before Easter. It surely put a crimp on
my first year.”
—Alma Davis Struble ’35
Kennett Square, PA
“The tight organization, discipline, and
deans made no allowances for us to do
anything differently. I guess it didn’t
hurt. We survived the Depression and
World War II.”
—Roxana Lewis Blackmore ’36
Schenectady, NY
“I would have taken four years of
French instead of two—I would have
skied instead of snowshoed for more
fun in the snow. At age 86,1 am going
to try cross-country skiing! I would
have tried harder to make the college
choir; I would take organ lessons—I
have always washed that I could play the
organ.
—Natalie H. Dunsmoor ’35
Waterbury; CT
50 Middlebury Magazine
the American Lung Assoc, taken by their son, Bill,
and grandson Kelly from Seattle to Washington,
DC, in summer 1998. Kelly, who has an asthmatic
condition, made the trip fine.This summer, Kelly
and his brother, Cory, did a bicycle trip from
Sunday River, near the NH border, up to
Rockland, ME.This trip benefited the Maine
chapter of the American Lung Assoc. They have
also hiked the length of the Long Trail inVT. Ret
and Max are justifiably proud of their achievements
for a good cause. # Anne and Dick Chase are
happy to stay close to home, convinced by their
many travels that Westmoreland, NH, is hard to
beat. Their flower and vegetable gardens give plea¬
sure, with last years raspberry patch yielding 387
pints! Dick was singing baritone for 28 concerts
this summer with the Westmoreland Town Band.
Recently the Kiwanis Club honored his 51 years of
perfect attendance. Last winter he enjoyed skiing in
CO with his son, who works at the Breckenridge
ski area. Dick and Anne also enjoyed their grand¬
son s performance at the Univ. of CO, Boulder,
when he played the lead in Lend Me a Tenor. He is
majoring in the performing arts. * Roxana Lewis
Blackmore reports that she has “no spare time.
House, garden, trips to doctors (for husband). Social
life is mostly VFW and AAUW.” Roxie is “glad we
could do M.A. credit while undergrads.” She
received her M.A in French in 1940. She also later
attended Middlebury’s Spanish School. ♦ We
regret to report the death of Everett F. Ellis on
January 20. Condolences go to his wife, Margaret,
and all the family. A memorial appeared in the
summer issue.
Class Secretaries: Mrs. Barbara Hopkins
(Barbara Gregory), 1021 W. Devonshire
Rd., Delafieid, Wl 53018; and Marshall
Sewell, 20 Morning Glory Ln., Whiting,
NJ 08759.
The Society ofWoman Geographers honored
Gertrude Dole with an Outstanding
Achievement Award at its triennial meeting in FL
last May.The citation mentioned her contributions
in the field of anthropology—particularly the ecol¬
ogy and ethnology of South American Indians of
the Amazon region—and her influence as a teacher
and adviser of graduate students in anthropology.
Congratulations! Although Trudie remains physical¬
ly incapacitated in a nursing home in NYC, her sis¬
ter informs us that she enjoys communications of
all kinds. Her mailing address is c/o D.D. Johnson,
20 Loeffler Rd., #T619, Bloomfield, CT 06002. *
Good to hear from Gladys Caldroney. who
reports an interesting trip to the Orient, cruising
from Hong Kong to Japan along the China coast,
with many sightseeing trips along the way. She has
been blessed with good health, but admits that gar¬
dening does give her a bit of trouble. # A letter
from Helen Dawson Campbells daughter,
Penny, tells us that Helen is a patient in an
Alzheimer’s unit. Although she struggles with con¬
fusion, she is a happy, busy person, delighting in her
children, enjoying a resident cat, caring for flower
gardens, and playing the piano for other residents.
* John ’38 and Carol Bloom Chalmers are well
and keeping busy with community work, particu¬
larly in the fields of foster care, welfare reform, and
living wage issues.They were looking forward to a
family gathering on Cape Cod in August-. #
Chuck and Helene Cosenza ’38 Chase were join¬
ing an Elderhostel group in June, visiting various
sites along the Connecticut River. Later in the
summer, they planned to spend time at their cot¬
tage. # Marion Gerling Church still enjoys trav¬
eling to FL with friends in the winter and playing
bridge often, in spite of some lack of mobility due
to two knee replacements. She would like to see
any Midd friends traveling her way. # Doris
Downing Daley had a busy year with the beauti¬
ful weddings of two granddaughters and a wonder¬
ful vacation in Palm Springs, CA. She planned her
usual family reunion on Cape Cod tliis summer.
# Eleanor Milligan Dormont has the true gift
of enjoying the everyday things about her, writing
that she is “bird, flower, and pet happy.” Her chil¬
dren live close by and visit often, prompting
Eleanor and husband Paul to say, “No need for cas¬
tles in Spain.” Good for you both! # Still spend¬
ing summer in her “Sunapee Place,” Caroline
Elliott Dorst is enjoying her music and teaching
some piano. She reminisced about still using her
1936 typewriter with French accents on it. She
used to carry it to the gym for exams—“all but
Greek”—in our Midd days. # Rudy and Jean
(Mae) Wilcox Day still make their annual journey
to FL via motor home. They enjoy spending their
time there with special friends, who also come
every year. Mae’s only granddaughter, a college
senior, was elected president of student government
and last year was named the student who had done
most for her college. # Paul Foster described a
wedding in Dallas in which he was honored with
giving the bride away. When the bride renewed her
vows in Lausanne, Switzerland, Paul again played
the role of “father of the bride.” He spent two
weeks in Switzerland and another week in
London, before returning to Cape Cod. # Pete
Frohock admits he still loves to dance. However,
his most important job is “carrying his wife’s bags.”
She has played two concerts in Greece and was
then invited to play the organ in Chartres
Cathedral commemorating the 50th anniversary of
French Liberation. No retirement there! * Good
to hear from Maijorie Bulkeley Garwood at last
and learn that all are enjoying life from day to day.
# Marion and Frank Guild recently celebrated
their 57th anniversary. Both are well and happy, and
they enjoy having their daughter and family living
nearby. # After traveling from Australia to Russia,
from AK to South America, Harold and Cay
Branch Frasure have sold their beloved family
home and farm and have moved into a cottage in a
retirement complex. Cay is happy in her new
home, although she is struggling with the usual
problems of advancing age. She and Harold are
both interested in hearing any Midd news and ’37
activities. * It was a joy to hear from “Perky”
(Marion Perkins Hackett) at long last. She is liv¬
ing in a nursing home in St. Albans,VT, near her
beloved cottage on Lake Champlain. She would
love to hear from classmates at Holiday House, 642
Sheldon Rd., St. Albans,VT 05478. Isabelle
McCann Rogovin writes: “My husband’s failing
health prevented me from attending our 60th
Reunion and he died in September 1997, after 10
years of disability. I plan to stay in Waterford, CT,
the rest of my life and in my home as long as I can
find help. I play bridge every week, enjoy senior
citizens and women’s club activities, AAUW, and
church. Since it takes me longer to do everything, I
am very busy!” * We regret to report the death of
Maijorie Fielden Kimball on May 17. A memo¬
rial appears elsewhere in this issue. * Walt
Brooker reports that the cursed arthritis makes
him quite immobile. He and Bobbie Carrick
Brooker ’40 spent a pleasant winter in Middlebury,
enjoying the men’s and women’s hockey season in
the beautiful new ice arena. * Nancy Blanchard
Britton has found her speech improved to some
extent by recent surgery for a paralyzed vocal cord.
Her son, Dr. Chuck Britton, has taken five of his
students to Vienna to compete in the International
Young Physicians Tournament, the first team fielded
by the U.S. She also mentions a granddaughter,
Sarah Weber, who won first place in her school’s
science fair and was chosen to play violin in a
regional music festival. Nancy keeps active by run¬
ning several miles before breakfast! # The Phil
Brown family was staying close to home this sum¬
mer, with Helen recovering from a broken pelvis.
Constant visits from children and grandchildren
made summer fun, especially with Phil’s new-found
talents at cooking and housekeeping. # Juno
Jones Corbett is enjoying her treetop condo in
the heart of downtown Venice, FL. She is trying to
decide whether to stay where she is or move closer
to her kids, while adjusting to life alone since
Ross’s death. What a universal problem among all
us ’37ers! * Doris Cutting is very happy at Wake
Robin, where there is so much going on all the
time. She feels that in many ways Wake Robin is
like the Middlebury of our era. Sounds great!
Class Secretaries: Mrs. Charles M. Hall
(Margaret Leslie), 510 Wake Robin Dr.,
Shelburne, VT 05482.
Last spring, Florence Hulme Miner had the
delightful experience of seeing her grandson, Jesse
Koenig, graduate from Middlebury magna cum
laude. “Then—the icing on the cake—after the
graduation ceremonies Charlie and Tommy
Leslie Hall came to pick me up and took me to
Wake Robin for a lovely overnight stay. Thanks to
Tommy’s hospitable arrangements, I also saw Lois
Bestor Craig ’37 and had a good chat with E.
Bar mini Gardner # Sherb Lovell’s fascinating
account of his hitchhiking tour of the U.S. in 1937
ran as a series in the Springfield (VT) Reporter last
spring. # We regret to report the death of Arthur
L. Barney on January 14. Condolences go to his
wife and to his daughter, Anne Barney Van Order
’79. A memorial appeared in the summer issue. *
Condolences also go to the family of Alice Chase
Wells. who died on May 1 6 . # Anne Kilbride
Long sent the sad news that her husband,Tom,
died on December 8,1998. In the spring Anne
wrote a lovely letter about her recent trip to CA,
where she attended a grandson’s Eagle Scout award
ceremony. Anne lives in North York, Ontario, a
suburb ofToronto, where she is “back to the bridge
table three times a week and spends time with
friends and family.” # Polly Overton Camp
wrote that “snow bunnies from Florida, Louise
Hoyt Short and Bets Osborne Peeler were
north, so I rounded upjeanie Hoadley Dudley
and we lunched together here. Nels and Bets’ hus¬
band Jim took a walk while there was much chat¬
ter and laughing, but nothing startling was discov¬
ered.” Proving once again that besides offering us a
great education, Middlebury also gave us friend¬
ships to last a lifetime. It is indeed remarkable how
the years roll away when we make opportunities
for mini-reunions. * Art and Beverly Browning
’39 Gilbert spent the summer at their camp across
the lake at Willsboro.We miss them here at Wake
Robin and looked forward to their return. * Soon
after Frank and Eleanor Barnum Gardner
moved to Wake Robin, Eleanor started a quilting
group. Five residents meet once a week for several
hours.Their current project is creating beautifully
designed quilts for each room at Respite House, a
residence for terminally ill patients in Williston.
Fall 5
Elizabeth Saunders ’99 and her grandfather, Stan
Saunders ’40 (see 1940 column)
Instead of being numbered, each room is named
for an animal, so E. and her committee have
designed individual quilts with the appropriate ani¬
mal motif. They have completed 12 of the total 14.
★ Can you top this? Dale and Janet Randall
Morgan have 12 great-grandchildren!
39
Class Secretaries: Ms. Jeanette Olson
Gould, 632 Red Barn Rd., Box 543,
Quechee, VT 05059; and Mrs. Raymond
I J. Skinner (Ruth Coleman), Brainerd St.,
P.O. Box 52, Danville, VT 05828.
Rearing class secretaries Thor and Carol Miner
Gustafson report: On a beautiful and very warm
weekend, 36 members of the Class of 1939 and
respective spouses and friends gathered for a most
wonderful reunion. Due to the cooperation of the
Middlebury staff and student hosts, we had a great
get-together. After registration and settling in, we
had an outdoor cookout dinner in front of Proctor
which was most attractively presented. Afterwards
we had a chance to visit at the Gamut Room at
Gifford or attend various concerts or bands. On
Saturday there were walking tours of the campus
and the Rededication of Old Stone Row, recogniz¬
ing the listing of Old Chapel, Painter Hall, and
Starr Hall on the National Register of Historic
Places. We then assembled for our reunion parade
and the Alumni Convocation at Mead Chapel. It is
always a thrill to be present at this gathering of all
the classes with the chapel adorned by class ban¬
ners. It was especially thrilling to see four members
of the class of 1929 being escorted down the aisle
by President and Mrs. McCardell amidst much
clapping and tapping of canes. It was rather
unnerving to find our class in the next row of seats!
At Convocation, they announced our reunion gift
of $456,578 with approximately 90 percent partici¬
pating, thanks to the outstanding efforts of Bert
MacFadden and committee members Jeanette
Gould, Betty Mettler, and Duncan Rollason.
After chapel we proceeded to the presidents house
for a delicious luncheon. A highlight of this occa¬
sion was the presentation by Don Meserve,Jr., to
President McCardell of an ancient deflated foot¬
ball—a relic from the famous 1923 game between
Middlebury and Harvard which ended in a 6-6 tie
score. Do you remember President Moody telling
the story in Chapel? When he was called about the
game, he thought his informant said the score was
66-6, which was what he expected it would be. It
was quite an event to have the son of our deceased
classmate, Don Meserve, be with us. President
McCardell gave a wonderful acceptance speech in
recognition of this most unusual gift for
Middlebury s sports history. We had our class pic¬
ture taken in front of the presidents house, then we
reconvened at the amphitheater alongside Gifford
where the college chaplain, Laurel Macaulay Jordan
’79, graciously conducted a very moving service. A
candle was lit by various members of the class for
each of the members of our class who have passed
on since our last reunion: Arthena Gregg
Atwood, Borden Avery, Melvin Carter,
Leonard Galassi, Beth Heward Jackson, Hazel
Bien Mack, Anna Sprague Munson, George
(Coolie) Park, Richard Sabra, Stanley
Sprague, Donald Stone, Stanley Thompson,
and Cora May Farrier Wade. That afternoon var¬
ious tours of town and campus were conducted,
after which we assembled at the Middlebury Inn
for an excellent dinner arranged by Louise
Roberts Avery. As Master of Ceremony, A.
Roger Clarke entertained us with poetry and
prose. Our special guests were Walter ’37 and
Bobbie Carrick Brooker ’40 and Bob ’40 and
Bobbie Plumer Alden ’40. A surprise award was
presented to Bert MacFadden. the Gold Key
Award, given to the post-50th reunion class with
the greatest percentage of class members participat¬
ing. After dinner some of our more active class¬
mates went to a reunion dance, while others gath¬
ered again in the Gamut Room. Our weekend
concluded with a delicious brunch on Sunday at
the home of Correan and Bob Cushman on
Court Street. It was a wonderful get-together as we
were all in an intimate setting and in a beautiful
home where we could visit and partake of a partic¬
ularly delightful and elegant brunch before leaving
Middlebury and heading home. # Those attending
reunion, and not mentioned elsewhere in this col¬
umn, were Irene Fernandez Anderson,
Harriett Barnes Ball, Elinor Wieland Cain,
Boyd Carr, Dorothy Korb Carter, Helen
Brewer Chadwick, Virginia Orde Church,
Joyce Mackenzie Cropsey,Jane Howard
Fiske, Joseph Foley, Beverly Browning
Gilbert, Edward Grosenbeck, Betty Anne
Dunning Jones, Kenneth Kinsey, Elizabeth
Letson, Bertha Waite Markland, Tom and
Gertrude Bittle Murray, Olive Holbrook
Nagle, Robert Rathbone, Evelyn Wheeler
Stagg, Roger Thompson, Mary Lou Race
Tonge, Joseph Trask, William Watt, and Roland
Wolcott. Maijorie Kohr Lovell joined us for
Convocation. We are sure everyone felt very proud
to be a graduate of Middlebury and we certainly
appreciated the graciousness and hospitality of
President and Mrs. McCardell. ...At our dinner on
Saturday, Jeanette Olson Goulds selection as class
secretary was announced. We are going to miss
hearing from you on occasion, but hope you will
make Jeanette’s job enjoyable by supplying her with
Midd recruiters in Coral Gables (see 1941 column)
lots of news. (Send it to her at 632 Red Barn Rd.,
Box 543, Quechee, VT 05059; e-mail
jogvt@aol.com). Jeanette and Ruthie Coleman
Skinner will carry on together. We wish to thank
Ruthie for her 12 years of service to the class. We
don’t think there are many who can match her! *
It is our sad duty to report that Art Jacques ’40 died
recendy.We extend our deepest sympathy to
Eleanor Jeschke Jacques. # Barbara and Frank
Avery report a move “from one life care commu¬
nity to another to be closer to our eldest son, Fred,
in Cherry Hill, NJ. Daughter Barbara Ann is still in
Greenwich Village, NYC, and son Dick is moving
soon from Seattle, WA, to Montana’s wide open
spaces. We no longer travel any distance, but have
fond thoughts of Middlebury as we knew it years
ago. Still in touch with Fred Wheeler. “You can
reach the Averys at Harvest Village #A202,114
Hayes Mill Road, Atco, NJ 08004. # Rotha and
“Doc” Loring Lane were planning to attend
reunion, but had to cancel because Loring had a
double bypass and a valve replacement just before
reunion. They sent their best regards to all class¬
mates. * So our five-year stint is over and it has
been a great joy to hear news of you all. Good luck
to Ruthie and Jeanette!
Class Secretary: Marjorie Burditt Striker,
211 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln, MA
01173.
It has been a thrill to hear from so many of you. I
appreciate your responses. I hope others will be
inspired to send news or comments for the next
column. * We begin with a photograph that says it
all. Pride glows from the face of Stan Saunders
and joy emanates from that of his granddaughter,
Elizabeth J. Saunders ’99, who had just graduated
from Middlebury magna cum laude this May.
Congratulations to you, Stan, and to Elizabeth. *
Bobbie Plumer Alden, daughter Shari Galligan
Johnson ’68, and granddaughter Hilary Johnson ’02
shared a fun and exciting experience. Representing
three generations of Middlebury College tennis
players, they were featured as a Middlebury tennis¬
playing family on Burlington’s television Channel 3
last spring. * When Ed Reichert went to
Midway Island in April on a 10-day Elderhostel
service program, he found it “a real eye-opener.
The Navy has turned it over to the Fish and
Wildlife Bureau and it’s now a sanctuary with lim¬
ited visitation of about 100 people at any one time
(other than about 150 maintenance force and pro¬
fessionals doing research).The island is a nesting
ground for sea birds—albatross, frigate birds, terns,
etc.—and there are no predators. The rats have
been exterminated and there are no hawks or other
natural predators. The focus of the Elderhostel pro¬
gram is to try to restore the island to its natural
habitat, somewhat changed by the invasion of
underwater cable people (pre-1900). Pan American
Airways (1930s), and the U.S. military (1940-
1997).’’ * Betty Carpenter Metcalf enjoyed her
professional career teaching in public schools, main¬
ly kindergarten.“Since retiring I have enjoyed years
of doing artwork and decorating our rooms with
pieces called cross stitch.” Betty’s old home in
Montpelier was featured in an article in the spring
issue of this magazine. * “More than 50 years ago,”
writes Almy Coggeshall (a former Chemical
Engineer with GE),“a group of General Electric
engineers pooled their resources and bought a 273-
acre farm, which they developed on capital they
raised themselves to create a self-contained com¬
munity of 84 homes. Two hundred acres of the
52 Middlebury Magazine
original farm are still in unspoiled open space,
forests, field and a pond.” * Salome ‘Bix’ Ross
Demaree writes that she is still birding, “mostly
out of the country. I really enjoy South America
and go there almost every year. I have just finished
coauthoring Birds of Phoenix and Maricopa County,
Arizona .” * Bill Markland ’41 wrote to inform us
of the recent death of Art Jacques. As Bill said,
“Art made a sizable contribution to campus life.”
The sympathy of the class is extended to Art’s fami¬
ly. * “Unfortunately,” writes Elaine Nickerson
Rucho, of Mount Dora, FL, “being half way down
this 800-mile-long peninsula of a state, I feel very
far from our college and have long since lost all
connection with those I knew there.” She says that
neither she nor her husband is in good health.
We’re glad to reconnect with you, Elaine! # Lois
Gillette Thorkilsen describes trying to keep up
land which was once a farm and a 360-year-old
house. “It’s an unending job. I vowed to get peas in
early, but johnny-jump-ups and other plants are
taking the space and some underground dwellers
are making big mounds of dirt and heaving stones
into this year’s growth. I’ll probably have to settle
for zucchini, winter squash, and cucumbers.” *
Alice Atwood Spaulding enjoyed the article on
the Carpenter house. As she was writing, she was
packing for an Elderhostel trip to England.“I have
forgotten how many times I’ve been to England,
but always remember the first, when I was there a
month with the National Council ofTeachers of
English.” She plans to be at reunion and hopes to
see a lot of the class there. * Ken Temple sent
the sad news of the death of his wife, Ruth, after
55 years of marriage. He speaks of the return of
mountain bluebirds to his Montana property and of
mountain chickadees wintering there. Because of
plentiful snow last winter, he hopes for a good hay
crop. One job that he anticipated was “getting out
and filling up the badger holes.” * Sally
Nothnagle Tefft still actively manages the newspa¬
per in Greenwich, NY. “It may be a weekly but it
provides a full week of activity, different from a
daily in that one doesn’t do just one job. One does
all phases, including layout of pages for printing,
preparing for mailing, paying bills, and starting all
over again. I am happy to be busy and able to do it.
Starting in 2000, the Tefft family will have pro¬
duced the paper for 100 years.” # Laura Smith
Whitworth writes that “one grandson has an engi¬
neering job in Park City, UT, and skis; the other is
pursuing a spot on the Nordic Olympic team. One
granddaughter is a member of a modern dance
company in NYC, and another works for a bank in
London.” Laura still has her shop, but has listed it
for sale. * Ken Quackenbush writes “to verify
my existence and to salute the class of 1940. There
is little new in my life—except a new knee, which
I am expecting to allow me to get back on the ten¬
nis courts and ski trails again after two years off.
Along the way I’ve come to realize that it seems to
be less of a problem to acquire new body parts
than it is to replace old sail boat parts. Well, at least
we’re afloat. Up anchor!” # A letter from Jean
Sweeny Hancock resembles a lecture by Prof.
Heinrichs, as she runs down the list of national and
world affairs, adding cogent comments. She and her
daughter recently made the college tour for her
granddaughter. * Charlie Straight wrote of the
death of his wife, Pauline. They had been married
for 57 years.The class sends its sympathy # Arthur
Andres describes his years as a fighter pilot early in
World Wir II and as an instructor ofWest Point
cadets in the latter years. He has held various posi¬
tions with General Electric Co. Nowadays he
divides his time between Cape Cod and Naples,
FL. # Up in ME, Loring Pratt is still writing and
published two articles last year. “Most of my time,
in good weather, is spent gardening. We raise more
than we can eat, but always find someone who
needs or wants the produce. We had a lot of things
to do with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
It is a real source of satisfaction for me to have had
the privilege of practicing medicine.” # Stan
Moore offers us a challenge: “Since March I have
resumed walking on the Appalachian Trail, having
complete 192.3 miles so far this year. I’ve finished
1,827.9 miles, leaving 332.3 miles to go. With a lit¬
tle bit of luck, I’m hoping to have hiked the entire
2,160.2 miles by the fall. I’ve been hoping some of
our classmates might join me, but so far, no takers.”
# I’d like to end the column by recommending
some of the books written by faculty members of
Middlebury’s English department. I have thorough¬
ly enjoyed John Elder’s Reading the Mountains of
Home, Julia Alvarez s (’71) three novels and a non¬
fiction called Something to Declare, Robert Pack’s
poetry, and Jay Parini’s The Patch Boys, as well as his
reviews in the newspapers.
41
13856.
Class Secretary: S.J. House, 51
McKinstry Hill Rd., Hyde Park, VT
05655; and Ruth Packard Jones (Mrs.
Charles), RR 1, Box 86A, Walton, NY
An alumni/recruiting reunion in Coral Gables, FL,
brought together Carlos Lopez-Gottardi ’94,
Claudine Coto ’95, Alice Noppel Knight,
Richard Rivas ’93, Michael Cohen ’94, and Tina
Lopez-Gottardi ’95. (See photo.) * Becky
(Mildred Becker Elefante) and husband Michael
invite friends to visit them in their new home.
They decided three years ago to leave FL, where
they had enjoyed living for 12 years. “Motivated by
concerns for future health care and by a wish to
live closer to family, we spent a month visiting con¬
tinuing care communities near our children in PA,
MA, and DC. In our search we were guided by a
booklet published by the Continuing Care
Accreditation Commission. Our choice of
Collington Life Care Community, located a mile
off the Beltway in MD, has been a happy one. We
live in a cottage on a wooded campus with 400
residents who have given us a sense of community.
Relieved of house maintenance and yard work, we
are free to take part in a variety of intellectual and
physical activities, both here and in Washington.
Most of all we are enjoying the people.” # A
report from North Myrde Beach, SC, tells of an
April Hillside mini-reunion hosted by Laddie
(Edith Ladd Evans). I can imagine what a great
time was enjoyed by Miggles (Margaret
Whittlesey), Shirley Metcalfe Handforth, Alice
Noppel Knight, and Hope Smith Marshburn.
Miggles s activiries have been somewhat hampered
by an eye problem, but she keeps active and is
enjoying her new home in South Hero,VT. She
only wishes she might have brought her beautifully
cultivated garden from North Hero. It can be really
tough starting a new one from scratch, but she’s
doing it. # In mid-June, Jean Emmons reported
she was recuperating nicely from her May 4 double
knee replacement surgery. She was pleasandy sur¬
prised to find her “porch garden” well started by
good friends when she returned from rehab. ★
After a difficult year healthwise, Buttsie (Caroline
Butts Dodge) was looking forward to a family
reunion-celebration of her big 80 birthday July 22
at her brother’s summer camp in ME. We hope it
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Fall 53
Midd Connection
PROFILE
THE CHURCH THAT
% W # HILE A STUDENT,
I Bert Rolfe ’44 was
W jf helping out a nearby
farmer by doing some haying, when
one day he came across an unused
church.The Union Church of New
Haven Mills,VT, had stood empty
and in disrepair for decades, but Rolfe devoted himself to restoring and reinvigo¬
rating it. He brought college friends along to help and later became a lay minister.
As an American literature major, Rolfe spent his time on campus considering
the works ofWhitman,Thoreau, and Emerson. These complemented his own con¬
victions and ideals which, during the height ofWorldWar II, led him to declare
himself a conscientious objector.
Near the end ofWorld War II, Rolfe joined the army. We cannot know what
changed his mind and compelled him to enlist. The war was all around him: a
naval officer training program was thriving on campus, his younger brother Hugh
had enlisted, and his brothers at Sigma Alpha were signing up. Bert was a doer:
perhaps he couldn’t stay on the sidelines anymore.
Before he was shipped out, Rolfe promised his congregation: “Someday I will
fill this church.” Within weeks he had. Shot by a sniper, Rolfe was remembered at
a memorial service held where he had often preached. Records show that it was
filled to the rafters. It isn’t often that a college student leaves such a lasting legacy.
But Rolfe was a young man with solid convictions. He had a clear sense of per¬
sonal mission and the dedication to complete it.
Local families follow in Rolfe s footsteps today as stewards of the church.
Weddings, concerts, and summer services are taking place once again. Like Rolfe,
these stewards treasure this church and work toward his same goals. They remem¬
ber him by displaying his story and his photograph prominently in the foyer.
—Kerry K. Skiffington
ROLFE HELPED BUILD
was a delightful occasion, Buttsie, and brought back
many happy memories of past good times there. *
Sara Martenis Townsend reports from Meriden,
NH, that she and Ira ’42 travel here and there, but
not far. She keeps in touch with Bobby Mower
Brown, who has been in a Virginia nursing home
since suffering a couple of strokes. Her son is near¬
by and a granddaughter. Star, whom she especially
enjoys. * Babs Warren Loftus is still finding it
difficult to adjust to Lofty’s death and to her new
living situation. Her son and daughter visit her
quite often, which helps. * Howard Hasbrouck
sounded great from his home in FL, where he
keeps active playing lots of golf. He traveled to MI
to spend the summer. * Jim Cassedy is in the
process of finishing up another book. He reports
that brother Bill Cassedy attended a grandson’s
commencement as well as a granddaughter’s high
school graduation. He keeps busy attending plays
and concerts. * On April 1, Peg Williams
Rhodes moved to a nursing home in Taunton,
MA, where her family can visit daily and takes her
out frequently. She would enjoy cards or notes sent
to her home address. * Babs Grow Grim injur¬
ing herself in a fall on March 23, resulting in
lengthy hospitalization and rehab. Learning to use
her left arm with a replacement ball in her left
shoulder was taking a lot of patience. She hoped to
be home by the end of June. Good luck, B! * Jack
and Westie (Helen West Burbank) attended a
granddaughters high school graduarion in State
College, PA. in June. On their way home, they paid
a brief overnight visit to Packy (Ruth Packard
Jones), who had just returned from her grand¬
daughter’s graduation in York, PA. The time was
short, but enough for some good catching up. *
We regret to report the death of Marjorie Smith
Storer on April 29 and send the condolences of
the class to her husband, James, and all the family. A
memorial appears elsewhere in this issue.
Class Secretaries: Mr. atid Mrs. John /:
Bates (Nancy Rindfusz), 62 / Laurel
Lake Dr., #B119, Columbus, NC
28722.
The personal cards we sent out really brought
responses! * Jane Giblin Langey's card was
returned, as they have a new CT address. * Alice
Austin Suydam is seeing the world. After some
traveling in Portugal, she was sailing from Lisbon to
San Salvador, Brazil, stopping at islands in the South
Atlandc. New Year’s Eve 1999, she’ll be in
Greenwich, England. * Now at home in Acton,
MA. Ray Squire retired last year and took up
community work and the church board of trustees.
He drove a four-year-old to a child-development
center four days a week and saw a new side of the
world. He and his wife have done their share of
traveling, including the Tattoo in Halifax, which he
says is the greatest military pageant they’ve ever
seen. (We agree!) Ray is still drumming in a musi¬
cal group. * Dave Emmons is sort of retired. He
calls on patients at Cape Cod Hospital in the surgi¬
cal day care unit as a member of the clergy staff,
assisting in services and overseeing the prayer min¬
istry. The Community of Jesus involves worship,
music with a Gregorian choir, drama, and art. Last
January he went to the Marshall Islands to visit a
young man from Micronesia who lived with them
as a boy. * Virgie Witte Miller has moved to
another address in Tucson: 11606 N.Teskow Dr.,
Tucson, AZ 85737. * Elinor Dickie Rankin is
active in Chatham Church Women and is on the
Chatham board of assistance. She had a nice visit
with Dotty Forsythe Dale ’43 and her husband.
She had just returned from a two-week visit with
her farmer sister in SD, where she went to
Rushmore, Bear Country, Crazy Horse, the
Badlands—and, of course, Wall Drug. She expected
to see Margi Fell Council and Joan Calley
Cooper in CA this fall. * Hope Rood Redway
and Dotty Milligan Schuck went traveling
together again to Prague and Budapest, then up the
Danube into Austria and southern Germany. They
both loved Prague. Dotty stayed with Hope in
England for a few days and visited Arundel Castle,
took in a play, and lunched at a pub. * Nina
Camuti Danielsen had lunch with Elma Boyer s
cousin and her niece, as she does yearly. Nina does
her museum stuff two days a week and works in
the hospital. She takes small trips and has one of
her daughters at home. * Bob Bredenberg
tripped through northern New England, with a
two-hour sail out of Camden and a round of golf
in NH.They were in Green Valley, AZ, last winter
and plan on a return engagement this winter. Bill
and Meg Buscher Andrews have a lovely home
there, where we visited last February. * Lewis
Alexander said that he “leads a quiet life,” but—as
an expert consultant on international maritime
boundary cases—he traveled to the Persian Gulf
area seven times last year, working on the Bahrain-
Qatar maritime boundary dispute, which is before
the World Court in the Hague. More recently he
has been advising the provincial government of
Nova Scotia in a maritime boundary controversy
with Newfoundland. Lew and his wife of 48 years
have four grandchildren in the State ofWA; the
oldest boy is interested in Middleburv. * Jack
McMann still lives in Potsdam, where he has sea¬
son tickets to the Clarkson hockey games. (He
remembers how cold it was playing on the outdoor
rink at Midd.) He has a grandson who is a senior
at Clarkson, a daughter who lives in Lake Placid,
and a daughter who is an assoc, prof, of counseling
54 Middlebury Magazine
at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. The
latter gave the main address at the honors convoca¬
tion. # Jim Ferren and wife June are healthy. He’s
writing short stories and poetry. Jim and Art
Rasmussen stay in touch and solve the worlds
problems. # We were sorry to hear that Alice
Voorhees Adams lost her eldest daughter and has
had health problems and hospital visits. She now
lives in a retirement community with some old
friends and some new ones. “Nina Danielsen has
been especially kind and helpful,” she reports. Alice
made the trip out to Chicago for her grandson’s
wedding. Go, Girl! # Now retired from 26 years of
teaching in the NY State schools, Dean Northrop
winters in St. Petersburg (FL) and summers in
Proctor (VT). Another active retiree, his main
hobby is gardening, but he’s also in church choirs,
runs a church fund-raiser, does volunteer hospital
work, and enjoys Elderhostel trips. # Jean
Macdonald Bagley (alias Sandy) has been a no-
show for years—and after reading her letter, I can
see why! Plays bridge and tennis regularly, walks a
big dog, runs a house with a live-in daughter who
plays a bagpipe, and has a myriad of relatives close
by. With three sons, she has six grandchildren and
two greats. * Helen Hooley Young was in hospi¬
tal for some surgery and was expected home in late
July. Her married son, David, has two children. #
Bill Hennefrund is doing photography and writ¬
ing articles about area artists. We were sorry to hear
of the death of his sister. Bill’s wife, author Tommy
Ring Hennefrund ’44, has a new book this year,
Monarch Butterfly of Aster Way. (She publishes under
the name of Elizabeth Ring.) # Every summer,
Phil and Betty Blanchard Robinson go to ME,
where they see Jim Cornwall ’40 and wife
Margery. Phil and Betty went up to Lunenburg,
Nova Scotia, to greet the ship on which their son
had sailed around the world. # Charlie Kitchell
had pneumonia last January and a new valve and
bypass in May Dodie Watson Kitchell hasn’t
been well and can’t drive, so her sister and her
friends had been taking her to the hospital to visit
Charlie. Hang in there, you two! # We regret to
report the June 11 death of Fred Whitehouse.
Since he had been so ill, Nancy (Hall
Whitehouse) can’t wish him back, but it still isn’t
easy. She works several times a year at Nielsen
Media Research and planned a September trip to
New England with Ginny Smith Baker. # It is
also our sad duty to report the deaths of Lucille
Plasman Grosse (February 1) and Ruth
Montgomery Titsworth. * Beatrice Simpler
Braun —a family-practice doctor, psychiatrist, for¬
mer nun, and activist for AARP—has been
appointed to the national Medicare Payment
Advisory Committee, a 17-member board that
advises Congress on Medicare issues. Bea was with
us for two years at Midd, before she became a
Maryknoll missionary. As Sister Agnes Thcrese, she
worked at a medical clinic in South Korea during
the Korean War. In 1969, she met a Jesuit named
Dick Braun.They fell in love, she left the convent,
he left the priesthood, and they were married in
1970. Her husband was a founder of the Human
Resources Group. Shortly after their retirement to
FL in 1989, Bea responded to a newspaper article
about AARP’s need for volunteers to help older
people understand Medicare and supplemental
medical insurance. She expanded the program
statewide and was asked to serve on AARP’s
national legislative council. Since then she has been
at the forefront of public policy issues and has testi¬
fied many times before Congressional committees.
* In our next column, you can look forward to
news from Mary Eimer Leinbach, Sue Hulings
Ottinger, Roger Arnold, David Smith, and
Peter Stanlis. Thanks to all who wrote. We hope
to hear from the rest of you. Remember to put us
on your Christmas card list!
Class Secretaries: Chick Johnson Doe,
327 Ayer Rd., Harvard, MA 01451;
and Dr.John S. Gale, 24 Beach Rd.,
Gloucester, MA 01930.
Down memory lane, note the photo of Hepburn
Hall waitresses, taken in 1943. In some cases we had
to guess, but we think they are (front) Lonny
Herron Hadley, Chick Johnson Doe, Dottie
Forsythe Dale, (back) Skip Wilkin Dimond,
Margaret Dounce Dale, Mandy Sanborne
Krieble, a mystery person (please let us know if
you recognize her), Teddy Hood Bittmann, and
Inki Monk Stevenson. Our thanks to Lonny
Hadley for sharing the photo. Lonny remembers
“our days of waiting table at Hepburn” as being “as
important to my education as classes and campus. A
fine and fun group I’d like to remember.” Lonny
and husband A1 are in the process of selling their
Maine house, after which they plan to go south. #
Fielding and Elbe Reier Brown are now dividing
their time between their Beacon Street apartment
in Boston and a retirement community in
Westwood, MA. Their Westwood address is 10
Longwood Dr., #375, Fox Hill Village, Westwood,
MA 02090; 781-326-9583. * As reported in the
last column, Jim and Mandy Sanborne Krieble
have also moved to a retirement community (in
Hanover, NH), while keeping their summer place
on Lake Willoughby. They had lived for more than
40 years in Shaker Heights, OH. # Helen Bouck
Hildebrandt (Bookie) has moved to an apartment
in Slingerlands, NY. # Cutler and Kay Sempepos
Silliman tell us that their son and his family have
moved from Buenos Aires to Maine. We who live
in New England hope to see more of Kay and
Cuder in the future. # Stan Tupper reports that
this is his 50th year as an attorney, “now practicing
in the family law firm, which is 110 years old. My
wife, Jill, and I concentrate on family and probate
law: she takes care of the live ones and I, the dead.”
♦ After I (Chick) sent out a copy of the Requiem
to Skip Wilkin Dimond, she wrote to acknowl¬
edge it and recalled our Midd choir days, with “Mr.
Bedford making us practice the processional so
many times, so many years ago!” Skip reports that
Bob Rude “has become a good Long Wharf
Theatre volunteer” in Guilford, CT. # Loie
Groben Gilmore and I (Chick) have been plan¬
ning a September trip to Iceland. We are assured by
Jan Hooker Laine, who traveled there a year ago,
that we will have a most enjoyable holiday. My
pacemaker is a year old and doing what it should!
Apple blossoms were exceptionally full and beauti¬
ful this year. If the birds and our imported bees
have “done their thing,” we should have a fine crop.
* Barbara and Roger Easton stopped in on June
30 on their way home from the Fellows Award
Banquet of the Institute of Navigation, where
Roger received an award “for his visionary insight
into the central role of precision timekeeping in a
satellite based navigation system and for technical
leadership in the development of the ‘Timation’
satellites that embodied advanced clock technology
for space applications.” Roger was also being hon¬
ored by Middlebury at Homecoming this fall. #
Do send news! We all want to keep in touch and
know what you are doing!
Class Secretaries: Dr. and Mrs. Neil
Atkins (Marylu Graham), 12 Carter
Rd., New London, NH 03257.
Our 55th Reunion has come and gone and a great
one it was, with 40 percent of the class returning
and 78 percent participating in our class gift.
Gorgeous weather helped to make it enjoyable,
too—especially the class dinner at Kirk Alumni
Center. Our thanks to Ricki Wheaton Evans and
Paul Davis for conducting the memorial ceremo¬
ny and to Ted Kolzak and Mai Collin for carry¬
ing our banner up the hill to Convocation. # Sally
and A1 Rathbun left for a trip to Wales immedi¬
ately after the reunion; Bill and Betty Mercer
McChrystal left: for a visit with their daughter in
Switzerland. * The fact that Barbara and Hugh
Taft, true Vermonters, are moving to Kendal at
Hanover in NH is startling news! # Don and
Helen Beardslee Johnstone were celebrating
their 50th wedding anniversary in August. * Paul
Davis and Janet Townsend Roberts ’45 enjoyed a
trip to Mexico to visit friends in February and later
attended an Elderhostel in Tennessee. ★ Peter
Jennison, our superb master of ceremonies at the
class dinner, was awarded the Vermont Arts Council
Cerf Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts at
the Council’s annual meeting on June 16 in
Montpelier. * Nancy Read —who sent Jason
Price ’99 (a very helpfi.il reunion student host)
searching for her car in the parking lot without
giving him the license number—was going to
Montana and Glacier National Park during the
summer. # Jane Landes was off on her annual
visit with relatives in Iowa soon after reunion
weekend. # For the past seven years, Elihu Wing
has been working in the Dominican Republic,
bringing medical aid to Haitian workers in the
cane factories.This is an ecumenical mission project
carried on in many states, sending 20 groups each
year. Spending two to three weeks each year there,
they serve 100 people a day, attending to basic
health needs of the workers. During these visits,
Elihu has done some medical studies on the physi¬
cal conditions of these people. # At the class din¬
ner, greetings to the class were read from Dorothy
Burton Skardal, who had faxed us from her
home in Oslo, Norway. We repeat part of her mes¬
sage here: “Do you remember the joke when we
were young, about how everybody sent postcards
from home when on vacation with the same mes¬
sage:‘Having a wonderftil time—wish you were
here!’Addressing you tonight I’d have to turn that
message on its head: ‘You’re surely having a won¬
derful time—wish I were there!’ Our 55th
Reunion couldn’t be better than our 50th, but I
hope it’s as good. I did so want to come, but my
A fine group of Hepburn Hall waitresses in 1943
(see 1943 column)
s
5
a
n
o
z
z
m
n
H
o
z
Fall 55
PUZZLE
heart troubles forbid any more long-distance flying.
With the North Sea and the Atlandc Ocean
between us, I can be with you tonight in spirit
only—and with these words. I send them to
remind you of something you may have forgotten
or never fully realized: how lucky we are not only
to have graduated from Middlebury, but also to
have had the chance to get a liberal arts education
at all. The four-year liberal arts college as it has
developed in the United States is unique in the
world. No other educational institution offers the
fiill range of academic disciplines and requires its
students to sample so widely among them before
specializing; no other educational institution offers
at the same time participation in sports, the arts, a
wide range of cultural and social activities, and resi¬
dential community experience, often including
individual contact with professors. Four years to
explore, to form lifelong friendships, and to
mature. How privileged we were! So I don’t have
to be there with you tonight; I have my
Middlebury experience here in Norway with me,
and I’ll be there celebrating with you that we were
so lucky.” # Finally, Neil and Marylu Graham
Atkins were persuaded to continue as class secre¬
taries and Pat Noe Bursaw and Hugh Taft as
class agents until our 60th Reunion. Translation:
Send your news items for ’44 class notes to Marylu
and Neil, and send money for annual giving to Pat
and Hugh!
Class Secretaries: Mrs. Donald A.
Stearns (Shirley Miller), 166-25 Powells
Cove Blvd, Beechurst, NY 11357; and
Mr. Peter Q. McKee, 26 Turtleback Road,
P.O. Box 197, Snnapee, NH 03782.
It was lunch at Sardis on April 29 for Ruth
Collins Shikes, Ann Robinson Walker, Alice
Frederickson Porter, and Mary Elizabeth
Wisotskey McClellan.They are “beginning to
plan to go to our 55th in 2000!” # Another “great
reunion” was reported by Dru (Barbara Drury
Sand) and her sophomore roommate at Hillcrest
Cottage,Tippie (Mary Tipping Coughlin), and
daughter Sue. They lunched—for the first time in
three years—on May 11 at the Purple Cat restau¬
rant in Chepachet, RI. It seems that Dru’s island
town of Jamestown, RI, was selected by movie
directors who combed RI for the best example of
Main Street, USA, with an ocean view for their
upcoming movie Me, Myself, and Irene, starring Jim
Carrey ( The Truman Show) and Renee Zellweger
(One True Thing). The footbridge in Middlebury s
Frog Hollow was transformed for another scene in
Me, Myself, and Irene. * Elaine King Dandh
(e.k.dandh@usa.net) writes from Guadalajara: “My
first book, A House Far South, in Mexico, is at the
printers and should be coming out any day now,
making me Guinness-eligible as perhaps the eldest
first-time-published writer in the world. My sec¬
ond, Mernsahib, is on the Web, at
www.geocities.com/soho/workshop/1865. It deals
comically with the culture shock of an American
woman who goes to India as a bride. The book is
lying in wait for an unwary publisher to stumble
upon it.” * Nikky (Jean Lacey Patterson)
reports: “I swim like a fiend at the local Hilton;
keeps me out of a wheelchair. I’m quite active as
historian for Pearl River’s (NY) United Methodist
Church, but my real love is the ad hoc committee
investigating swimming pools for the Town of
Orangetown. From successfully getting the ques¬
tion on the ballot in November 1997, achieving a
YES vote in that election, to working with a con-
TIME WHEN
by Jackie Moore '47
WHAT TIME IS/WAS IT WHEN:
1. “Pippa Passes”? (Robert Browning poem)
2 . The mouse ran down the clock? (nursery rhyme)
3 . The “Danse Macabre” begins? (Saint-Saens composition)
4 . The ten o’clock scholar finally arrives at school?
5 . World War I Armistice began in 1918?
6 . A variety of garden flower blooms?
7 . Peter denied being drunk on the day of Pentecost? (Acts of the Apostles)
8 . The shadow of a beard might appear?
9 . You should “get to bed by_” according to the song “You Belong to Me.”
10 . “Dinner at_”? (1933 movie starring Jean Harlowe,J. and L.
Barrymore)
11 . “The Feud” between the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat began?
(Eugene Fielding poem)
12 . The Chinaman goes to the dentist? (old riddle)
13 . Wee WillieWinkie says children should be in bed? (nursery rhyme)
14 . You should be ready for the “The Darktown Strutters’ Ball”? (song)
sultant on swimming pools, I’ve been active and
interested in the whole process. Hope I’ll still be
around to yell ’Last one in is a rotten egg” as I take
my first dive into the pool. My husband, Ernest
(80), is still working as a consultant for Wyeth-
Ayerst (biochemist) and our three children are hap¬
pily engaged in their own pursuits.” * With pro¬
found sadness, we must tell you of the death of
Ruth Taylor Wilcoxson on July 20,1999.
“Taylor,” as she was known to us since freshman
days in the “Siberia” of Pearsons fourth floor, was a
dear and loyal friend, traveling from Chicago to
Vermont every year for “Grupo” at the Rick and
Betty Hatcher Hruby s place. A newspaper writer
early in her career, she never ceased to be a realist
in calling the shots and dealt with the knowledge
of having a brain minor with forthright courage
and concern for her family. Heartfelt condolences
to her daughter, Lesley Kuzmanoff, and son Keith
and their families, and family and “grupo” friend,
John Bergesen.
46
Class Secretaries: Mary Cummings
Nordstrom (Mrs. Everett R.)
(nord7@earthlink.net), 10 Inverness Rd.,
Pinehurst, NC 28374; and Joan
Campbell Shaw (Mrs. Douglas P.) (camshaw@sover.net),
Cottage St., RR 2, Box 3412, Manchester Center, VT
05255.
You have all heard by now of the death of Dr.
Freeman on July 10. He was acting president of the
College for much of the time that our class was at
Middlebury and we all had great respect and affec¬
tion for that wonderful man. * Larry and Jean
Smith Murphy have moved from their country
place of 20 acres in Waldoboro to a new retirement
community in Rockland, ME, set in a lovely
wooded area—“where birding is excellent.”Jimmie
writes: “Still canoeing, but flat water only!
Daughter and her family live 30 minutes away. We
miss the old place, but think this is a wise move.” *
Barbara Tousley Hyde reports that she and Phil
divide their year between Vero Beach, FL, and
Saranac Lake, NY. This is a perfect arrangement for
them, as their three children are distributed in both
locations, with one grandchild in FL and one in
the Adirondacks. * John and Marcey Lynn
Krum celebrated their 50th anniversary a year ago
June in Carmel, CA, where doctor daughter Debby
lives. Debby s oldest daughter now attends Harvard.
This July, Marcey entertained her French grand¬
children—Natalie (14) and Laura (9)—who flew in
from Paris. These are the daughters of Katie, who
met her husband in northern Thailand, where they
communicated (courted?) via their second lan¬
guage—Japanese! The Krums later enjoyed the
company of their three Swiss grandsons (14, 13,
and 9), who were visiting for several days with their
parents. (Next, says Marcey, she’ll go to a rest
home!) Marcey underwent a lumpectomy a year
ago and, after seven weeks of daily radiation, was
back in the swing of things, including tennis and
paddle. She also participated in the Race for the
Cure, an inspiring and emotional experience. This
is another personal account which underscores the
importance of our annual ordeal, the
mammogram.Thank you, Marcey! * Ann Curry
Munier and husband Emile are enjoying retire¬
ment time with lakeshore activities at Governor’s
Island on Lake Winnepesaukee in NH.They still
have a ski retreat at Stratton Mountain in VT. In
56 Middlebury Magazine
June, they entertained Lakes Region neighbors Bill
and Hazel Godfrey Murphy and Pete ’44 and
Barbara Busing Harris, in celebration of all
three couples’ anniversaries.The Murphys are keep¬
ing alive a good New England tradition of placing
only home-grown food on the table. “We grow
peas and corn and just about any vegetable you can
name!” # David and Joyce Hitchcock Hardy
enjoy Ellsworth, ME, lakefront activities during the
summer and community events at Colby-Sawyer
College in New London, NH, during the
winter. Since her husband had an appointment in
Hanover, NH, Joyce was to join classmates on
August 24 for the two-hour Golden Pond boat
tour, which shows tourists where the movie was
filmed, site by site, on Squam Lake. The tour guide
also explains about the habitat and migratory histo¬
ry of the loons, a virtual symbol of Squam. Leaving
from the Squam boat dock, next to Walters Basin
Restaurant in downtown Holderness, the tour boat
stops at Church Island where Mary Elizabeth
Nordstrom was playing the organ on Sundays this
summer from June 27 to September 5. She says
that many Middlebury people have attended there
through the years.This is Mary Elizabeths 10th sea¬
son as organist at Church Island (Chocorua Chapel
Association, Holderness, NH).The other nine years
were in the ’60s. She writes: “The congregation
used to be 200, but since the movie it has doubled
and docking is at a premium, so some boats have to
drop anchor farther out. Sermons are by outstand¬
ing clergy from all over the U.S., different each
Sunday. Barbara Busing Harris’s parents used to
stay at Rockywold-Deephaven Camps at Squam
Lake, from which one takes the 20-passenger
launch.The organist takes the first trip at 9:30
A.M. —with the pew sweepers and organ pumper.”
We look forward to hearing details from Mary
Elizabeth’s senior year roommate, Kay Craven,
who was traveling in August and left regrets about
missing the Squam Lake mini-gathering. # In
April (too late for the summer issue), the “Sunset
Beach Gang” met again for a week of pure enjoy¬
ment: Bill and Sheila Schmidt Rowland, Neal
and Cindy Darby Westmoreland, Doug and
Cam Campbell Shaw. Breezie Arey
McGeehan, and Cas Caswell Jones. One morn¬
ing the men, all non-Middlebury, discovered that
the people playing tennis on the next court were
Bill and Jan Schongar Wagner, both Midd ’53.This
led to an invitation to drinks that evening and a
most enjoyable visit with a delightful couple—and,
hopefully, a fourth for men’s tennis next year! #
Your faithful correspondent Cam encourages
everyone to be a little more weatherwise when set¬
ting out for a sail. “We capsized on Lake St.
Catherine in a summer storm that came up really
suddenly, and over we went in our small
catboat! Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning! In ret¬
rospect, ’twas very exciting! We feel very fortunate
to have survived that storm.” * Mary (Cas)
Caswell Jones returned toVT in June to attend
her youngest granddaughter’s graduation from high
school in Burlington. We (Cas and Cam) met in
Middlebury and visited the Center for the Arts and
the new athletic building. While looking over the
spacious new field house, Cas discovered her moth¬
ers 1912 basketball team picture on the wall! Cas
took a trip to Alaska this summer. * Barbara
Busing Harris wrote of attending Petes 55th
Reunion with class headquarters in Gifford: “It was
wonderful! The dorm has been renovated and has
an elevator and nice, individual bathrooms gener¬
ously scattered about. Of course it is near Proctor
and the bookstore, where 55 percent discounts
were available on Middlebury items! It is also next
to Mead Chapel, where Mr. Fanning is still playing
the organ and conducting the alumni choir. A spe¬
cial plus for the Harrises was the fact that daughter
Anne Harris Onion ’69 was also there for her 30th
Reunion, son Peter ’74 for his 25th, and grand¬
daughter Megan ’00 was a student guide for the
40th Reunion in Gifford. Megan loved meeting
the alums and hearing their stories.The student
guides wore neat Middlebury T-shirts with a large
picture on the back inscribed with the words “Ask
Me Anything.” As part of the Old Guard, we were
entertained at the president’s house after convoca¬
tion. There were four members of the Class of’29
attending their 70th Reunion. We may not all
make that, but be sure to set your sights on 2001
for our 55th!”
Class Secretaries: Virginia Stowell
James, 373 Reeds Gap Rd., North ford,
CT 06472; and Philip Briggs, 40947
N. 107th PL, Scottsdale, AZ 85262.
Elizabeth Galloway Masterson, whom we called
“Whirlaway” back at Midd, has been appointed an
interim trustee of the Calvin Coolidge Memorial
Foundation. Betty has been head of volunteers for
projects at the Coolidge Foundation since 1993.
She is also coordinator of volunteers for special
events at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science
in Woodstock. She still does volunteer taping for
the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually
Impaired. Betty and husband Jim retired toVT in
1990. * Phyllis Hackley Foote is happy to
announce the birth of her first granddaughter,
Sarah Kaitlin, on March 2, 1998, to daughter Judith
Mulligan of Portland, ME. # We regret to report
the death of Janet Kraft West on May 1 and send
the condolences of the class to her family. We’re
glad she was with us for our 50th Reunion. ♦
Gordie ’49 and Alice Neef Perine were chosen
honorary chairs of the seventh annual Vermont
Symphony Orchestra’s pops concert this summer.
One of the most highly anticipated events in
Middlebury, the pops concert is held in Alumni
Stadium, where picnicker/concert goers are treated
to glorious music as night falls over the Green
Mountains, culminating in the stirring “ 1812
Overture” with fireworks lighting up the night sky.
Gordie and Alice have been more active than ever
in Middlebury since his retirement in 1994 and her
retirement in 1988. They cochaired the 1998
Addison County United Way Campaign and served
for two years as cochairs of the “People for Porter”
campaign leading to the expansion of the hospital
and nursing home. Alice has also been a trustee of
the Sheldon Museum and Shard Villa, while Gordie
has served on the board of Home Heath and
chaired its capital campaign. ★ Still in Holland, MI,
Milt ’45 and Laura-Lee Hopkins Pike have a
slight address change: 145 Columbia Ave., #757. #
Pat Harvey Oehler recently “completed training
as a docent at the Sacramento Zoo, a small zoo set
in a park in the middle of Sacramento. Love it!” ♦
A summer gathering in Randolph,VT, was attend¬
ed by many who live or visit in the area, with
Lynn Bruhn graciously inviting several to stay at
her home when the travel distance precluded a
one-day trip. Lynn reports taking joy in her puppy
and seeing some progress in its training. Those of us
who were teachers would advise: “Be firm, Lynn!
Firm and consistent!” # Herb and Barbara Bates
Lauterwasser (Bobbie) had a memorable 2 172-
week tour in Europe last spring: Swiss Alps, moun¬
tains of Austria, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Lucerne,
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Fall 57
Midd Connection
What can compare to being together 50 years later?
(see 1949 column)
and Frankfurt. They especially enjoyed meetings
with Herb’s relatives, even though Bobbie found
her lack of fluency in German meant she smiled a
lot but understood little! Bobbie also reported the
birth of another granddaughter, Hannah Rose, on
April 15. Congratulations! # Bill and Jeannette
Atkins Louth were up on the Cape in the sum¬
mer, at their cottage in West Harwich. * An
impromptu article on the wildflowers and wildlife
of her own yard by Virginia Stowell James was
chosen for printing in the quarterly Native Plants ,
published by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center, of which Virginia is a member. Her design
was selected for various uses during the celebra¬
tion of her church’s 250th anniversary. For some
church events, she has donned old-style clothing:
“It felt funny to arrive dressed in a long, old-fash¬
ioned dress, black shoes and stockings, kid gloves,
and a large black hat. A bit like becoming ones
own grandmother.” She also chairs two educational
honorary societies, but took a break to enjoy the
cottage in Maine during midsummer. # Betsy
Hornaday Fry has again raised the question of a
class listing of our e-mail addresses to make for easy
and rapid communication. Isn’t there someone who
would volunteer to gather as many of these as can
be obtained for the start of such a list? Give your
name to Betsy or to one of your class secretaries
listed at the top of this column. # We regret to
report the May 1 death of Janet Kraft West.
Condolences go to her family and friends. * Be
sure to send class news to Jinny or Phil so that we
can keep aware of the important events and activi¬
ties in one another’s lives.
Class Secretaries: Daniel R. and Joan
Tyler Gilbert, (medrg01@fnoravian.edu),
3660 Walt Whitman Ln., Bethlehem, PA
1801 7.
Kudos to Patricia Prendergast Turner, who
won the 1998 Service to Mankind award from the
Monument Hill Sertoma Club in CO.The award
recognized Pat for her service to thousands of citi¬
zens of the Tri-Lakes and El Paso County areas. In
1990, Pat volunteered to help in the juvenile divi¬
sion in the district attorney’s office. Working more
than 25 hours a week as a case manager, she was
able to divert many young individuals away from
the courts and a possible criminal record to more
productive and worthwhile lives. Since 1992 she
has been working in an innovative program called
Kids Against Crime. To help children understand
the seriousness of crime, Pat works with fifth
graders, using real-life illustrations, video tapes, and
workbooks to show the consequences resulting
from violating the law. She conducts two-hour
workshops two or three times a week in various
schools. Pat also serves on many committees in St.
Matthias Episcopal Church and gives of her time to
the Book Buddies program. * Tom Johnson
writes that he would like to see “an article on the
College orchestra and Mr. Bennet.” He reports that
“the concerts give much pleasure to us old grads
living locally, as well as the entire community.” *
Dan Gilbert reports: “A summer highlight for the
Gilbert family was the June 26 wedding of
youngest son Chris to Julie Moberg.The wedding
took place at Christ Chapel on the campus of
Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN, where
Chris is an assoc, prof, of political science. The three
other Gilbert sons—Dan Jr., Mike, and Karl—as
well as granddaughter Victoria and grandson John,
joined in the festivities. Gustavus Adolphus was hit
hard by a tornado over a year ago but has made a
remarkable recovery with the generous assistance of
its alumni. God bless those alums!”
Class Secretaries: Patricia Allen Guthrie,
P.O. Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH 03894;
and Bob M. Gore,Jr., 60 Keenan Dr.,
Peterborough, NH 03458.
Dave Thompson and I (Pat) want to thank every¬
one—and there are many—who helped make our
50th Reunion gathering so wonderful. It all began
with registration at Forest Hall, where Jane Alice
Miller Brouwers was chair of the greeters. It was
there we all received our Middlebury blue shirts to
wear in the Reunion Parade and our class gifts—
including four Middlebury glasses and a double
pack of Middlebury playing cards with Old Chapel
on them. Alice “Hotch” Hardie had arranged a
wonderful memorabilia display in one of the beau¬
tifully redecorated Forest Hall lounges. Bob Seixas
brought pictures from his Air Force experiences;
Dave Thompson brought lots of photos and
other Midd items: Barbara Earling Lindeberg
brought some of her paintings; Willie Williams
Wood brought a book written by Pat Thwaits
Garcia's husband. Max; Willie’s husband, George,
brought wood carvings; Barbie Knapp Bull
brought books on her family genealogy; Gene
Edgar Irons brought quilts she had made, and
there were several memory albums with lots of pic¬
tures of our years at Middlebury. * Thursday
evening we had a delicious informal dinner under a
tent behind Forest Hall. After breakfast Friday
morning, we all gathered near Old Chapel, where
our class tree was planted. We held a memorial ser¬
vice, planned by Lee Adkins, in remembrance of
the 72 deceased members of our class. From there
the class traveled to Kirk Alumni Center for a class
meeting with President McCardell, who presented
each of us with a Middlebury pin and a Gamaliel
Painter cane. It was a very touching thing to me.
One interesting comment by John McCardell: “As
Making plans for the 50th Reunion (see 1950)
I was contemplating the presentation of these
canes, something rang a familiar note. The year you
graduated—1949—was the year I was born.”
Needless to say, we all just roared with laughter.
Lunch followed at Meeker House (former Sig Ep
house), before afternoon activities. Gordie Perine
organized golf. Barbara Buzz Myers White and
Peter Fagg organized tennis. Rachel Stryker
Smith and Bob Gore organized a hike. Lots of
athletic participants, which speaks well for our
physical prowess! Friday night we were all guests of
President and Mrs. McCardell at their home. After
cocktails on the deck we all adjourned for a buffet
dinner in the tent on the lawn behind the house.
Over the entire weekend, I can’t say enough about
how friendly and warm John McCardell was. We
should all be thankful that Middlebury College is
so fortunate to have a president of his caliber! #
On Saturday was the Reunion Parade, and we were
the honored class, last to enter Mead chapel. Quite
a thrilling moment. I’m proud of you all. We won
the McCullough Cup, given to the class with-the
highest percentage of alumni returning for reunion,
and the Armand N. LaFlamme ’37 Cup, for the
highest participation in reunion giving, with 90
percent of our class members contributing. Our
thanks to Liz Van Splinter Thomson and
Charlie Puksta for a great job on the fund-rais¬
ing. Thank you! Also we all can be very proud of
Rachel Adkins Platt, who received an Alumni
Plaque Award for her outstanding service to the
College.Yay, Rachel! # Saturday evening was our
banquet, with Kyle Prescott heading the commit¬
tee. Kyle did a super job and it was a wonderful
night. Master of Ceremonies Bob Seixas brought
along two of his musician friends, so we had won¬
derful music. Bob brought a large song sheet of
Middlebury songs and other songs that were popu¬
lar when we were in school and we had a fun sing-
along. Dave and I were among the last people to
leave at about midnight. Sunday was the finale.
After chapel, a 50th farewell brunch was held
behind Forest Hall under our tent. To all who
came, I hope you had as good a time as David and
I did. For those who were unable to be there, we
missed you. As Spencer Wright put it: "Makes
one feel younger, seeing all those familiar faces!”
And last, but not least. Bob Gore has agreed to
serve as co-class secretary for the men of the class.
Thank you, Bob!
Class Secretaries: Ms. Barbara J. Parker
(parkeb@idt.net), 13 Burnham Pi, Fair
Lawn, NJ 07410 (fax 201/475-1545);
and Ms. Barl)ara Kraft Packer (l)ar-
bkraft@ciol.com), 48 Sunset Dr., Summit, NJ 07901.
We’re getting in gear for reunion! At a June plan¬
ning meeting, members of the gift committee and
yearbook committee worked hard at Kirk Alumni
Center. All contributed to planning social events,
working on our yearbook, and strategizing for
fund-raising for our big 50th. Spouses Sondra Kay,
Bob Kingsland,Tom Moser,Tod Packer, and Dick
Young joined us for dinner. Pictured at Fire A Ice
were Irv Meeker, Rufus Cushman, Ginny
Ringo Cleary, Sid Kay, Sondra Kay, Kathy Pell
Meeker, Lura Hallett Smith, Anna Sherwood
Young, Dave Dale, Carol Carlton Hentz, Elbe
Flett Kingsland, Ginny Hardy Moser, Barbara
Kraft Packer, Jackie Brooks Davison, John
Irons, and Fred Neuberger. We will be staying at
Forest Hall—and wait til you see Bicentennial
Hall! It is enormous! # We need your help in find¬
ing lost classmates. William and Diane Brehm
5 8 Middlebury Magazine
Mehlbach have been located in CO, living
between Denver and Boulder. The Navy sent them
there years ago and they fell in love with the state.
And Richard Shenier, who went on to MIT after
two years, has been found in East Williston, NY. *
Frank McNamee, our reunion social cochair, had
to have back surgery. He is going to rehab faithfully
and feels fairly well, with a hip replacement and
surgery on his spinal discs. He’s impatient to get
back to tennis, squash, and golf John O’Connor
stopped in to see him on his way back to CT from
FL. # Social co-chair and class secretary Barbara
Parker is also recuperating nicely from surgery,
with the aid of her daughter. # Jinny Orrall
Albert has concerns about getting to reunion. Her
husband, Dean, has had several strokes and is suffer¬
ing from Parkinsons, and Jinny has converted her
home to care for him herself. Jinny, we hope that
you can make arrangements to join us in June. #
Bett Carroll Notter and husband George have
moved from an apartment in the center of DC to
suburban MD. She is now practically across the
street from her office. # We regret to report the
death of John R. Lane on March 9. We send con¬
dolences to his family, especially his brother,
Thomas W. Lane ’51. John was a chemistry major
from Waterbury, CT, and a member of Alpha Tau
Omega. A memorial appeared in the summer issue.
♦ Chuck Mutti wrote in response to the call for
e-mail addresses. (His is ymutti@aol.com.) Since
their marriage in March 1982, Chuck and wife
Lonnie have lived in Westchester County (NY),
Vero Beach (FL), and Hilton Head (SC); they are
now in Saratoga County in upstate NY. They have
seen Betty and Corky Elwell, when they visited
Hilton Head, and Jane and A1 Dragone at Shirley
and Ray Ablondi’s (‘52) house on Hilton Head. *
Pat Wulp is involved with the League ofWomen
Voters in MI, as Barb Kraft is in NJ. Now that Pat
is retired, she also has time to plan a memorial gar¬
den at her church, volunteer at the HIV/AIDS
Resource Center, and enjoy AAUW classic books
and Great Decisions groups. She and Kraftie both
recommend Jack Miles’s book, God, A Biography. #
Finally, congratulations to newlyweds Reg and
Carol Hentz Spooner. After working for the past
year to help cut brush and create trails in an 80-
acre area known as Spirit and Nature, Carol and
Reg were the first to be married there on August
8, in the Sacred Circle. Spirit and Nature is located
near the Robert Frost Trail in Ripton.
Class Secretaries: Meg Curry Gregg
(Mrs. Donald P), 21 Mead Rd.,
Armonk, NY 10504; and James D.
Ross, 1019 CiderMill Rd., Cornwall ,
VT 05753.
Congratulations to Dr. Paul Cochrane, who is the
1999 recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award
of the Boy Scouts of America Nashua Valley
Council. A dinner held in his honor on June 1 at
SI 25 a plate benefited thousands of Boy Scouts in
32 communities throughout his Fitchburg, MA,
region. The chair of the event summed it up well:
“Dr. Cochrane has given 40 years of dedicated ser¬
vice to his area. His vigorous commitment to
Burbank Hospital and the community have been
expressed not only in terms of his medical practice,
but also in his vital role as a member of the newly
restructured UMass Memorial/HealthAlliance
board of trustees and his involvement on many
local boards. He is a very compassionate doctor and
certainly deserving of this very prestigious award.”
Paul started his family practice in Fitchburg in 1958
and he is also the physician of the Fitchburg High
School football team. He and wife Judy have three
children—son Lee ’75, daughter Pam, and daughter
Kim Cochrane Cosgrove ’83—and six grandchil¬
dren. * When the Rev. Philip Clarke arrived at
Park Avenue United Methodist Church in
Manhattan in 1956, there were only about 25
members, the building was in disrepair, and there
was no money. When he retired this June, there
were 600 members, a building beautifully restored,
and a healthy financial statement (including a trust
of $9 million to support needy churches in NYC
and help the poor).The church has also become
very diverse. It’s a tribute to Phil’s ministry that he
served this church for 43 years, when the typical
stint for Methodist clergy is five to eight years at a
single church. According to a piece in the Wall
Street Journal , Phil cites two reasons for this longevi¬
ty: “One, his mobile congregation changed con¬
stantly, so it was like getting a new church every
five years. And two,‘I learned to keep a low profile
around bishops.’” * We have news from Ildara
(Ily) Elmore Klee, who has been teaching
Spanish courses at Fairfield Univ. and Sacred Heart
Univ. in CT. She recently moved to a condo in
Bridgeport. Ily and Fred Klee ’53, who were
divorced in 1980, are on amicable terms. Their
daughter and her two sons live in Stratford; another
son and daughter are in San Antonio. Ily worked
for Save the Children for a number of years and
also started her own business, Language Services,
offering translations, tutoring, and word processing
in English, Spanish, or French. Good to hear from
you, Ily. # In May, Don and Meg Curry Gregg
were joint speakers at the annual meeting of the
Brattleboro,VT, branch of the American Assoc, of
Univ. Women in May. They spoke of their experi¬
ences in Saipan, Japan, Burma, Korea, and
Washington, DC, while Don served in the CIA, as
national security adviser to VP George Bush, and as
ambassador to Korea. Now chairing the board of
the Korea Society in NYC, Don is active in sup¬
port of Korean-American business, cultural, and
educational projects. During the talk, Meg discussed
family life overseas, her work with international
women’s groups, and her role as embassy hostess. A
special treat was the attendance of Martha Jane
O’Brien Fenn (who helped organize the event),
Anne Drysdale Connington, and Helen Reid
Gilmore.
52
02557.
Class Secretaries: Carol Whitham
Brewster, Rond IRI.. P.O. Box 296,
Manchester, ME 04351; and Charles A.
Ratte, P.O. Box 3446, Oak Bluffs, MA
Sid Hammond (sidney.hammond@valley.net) has
moved back to Hartland,VT, where he has owned
a farmhouse and 150 acres for more than 40 years.
He and wife Clara raised six children there before
moving to Hanover, NH, to be nearer his Ready-
Mix concrete plant. Sid lost his wife as a result of
injuries suffered in an auto accident in 1986. Now
retired, he busies himself maintaining the farm and
the hiking and skiing trails on his property, which
he uses “as the spirit moves me.” Sid continues his
45-year hobby of beekeeping, producing 1,100
pounds of honey per summer season to share with
family, friends, and neighbors. Sid has been active in
local and state politics, serving several years in the
Vermont House of Representatives in the early
’80s. He also served on the board of the Windsor,
VT, hospital. * Lucy Lee Frisbee writes “Our
life falls into a definite pattern of work, community
service, and play!”The Frisbees work 10 months in
Delhi, NY, in the northern Catskills, producing
maple syrup (they ship!), making hay, tending 11
apartments and 20 Hereford;. They serve on boards
and committees for hospital, church, concerts, and
beautification.Then they play for two months in
S. W. FL (the Englewood area, south of Sarasota),
enjoying golf, fishing, biking, beaching, and eating
seafood. “Woven into this pattern are our three sons
and families, who generously share their lives with
us,” Lucy adds. Their sons live in Yardley, PA;
Reston,VA; and Delhi, NY. # Skip ’54 and Janet
Bogard Phinney have moved from Reading, MA
to Jamaica Plain, MA.Twin grandchildren blessed
them with an Easter Sunday arrival, born to their
elder son and his wife. ♦ Sally Baldwin Utiger
had a busy spring officiating collegiate tennis
matches.Then she planned to work on her own
game in time for the Senior Nationals, “as long as
they don’t conflict with grandparenting-—first
things first!” * Summer heat brought the Brewster
family to Lake Cobbosseconte in Manchester, ME,
where Pat and Carol Whitham Brewsters farm¬
house stretched to fit six grandchildren (ages 7, 6, 5,
4, 1 1/2, and 1) and their four parents. Most of the
Meg Curry Gregg, Helen Reid Gilmore, Anne
Drysdale Connington, and Martha Jane O'Brien
Fenn, all '51, in Brattlehoro (see 1951 column)
time was spent in the lake and we were swimming
our Chesapeake Bay retriever, instead of walking
her. Next year’s family reunions will have to be
held in Brittany, France, where son Toby and wife
Becca and their three small sons will live during his
year of teaching there. Son Seth was 54th among
the 1,100 athletes in the “Escape from Alcatraz”
triathlon held last June in San Francisco. Not bad
for a 39-year-old Portland, ME, attorney, who was
once on the U.S. Olympic Pentathlon Training
Team. * Chuck Ratte reports: Jim Hutchinson
called recently to wish Judy and me well in our
new adventures, relocating fromVT to MA and
renovating a 100-year-old Vineyard farmhouse.
Hutch is a great communicator and often calls a
friend “out of the blue.” We visited Hutch and
Hayes a few years ago on our way to see friends in
Lexington, KY. While we were there, Hutch said
“Let’s call Howie Rogers ’53 in CA—I bet you
haven’t talked to him in 40 years.” He was right—I
hadn’t. Howie recognized my voice right off and
we had a great chat. Hutch is retired from Nestle,
but tells me he gets called on once in a while to
help them out with odd tasks. Now Hutch is a
NASCAR racing fan and there is a big track near
his home in eastern TN. So if you go to the
NASCAR races in Johnson City,TN, and see a big
rabbit advertising Nestles Quik, approach it with
your hand outstretched and say,“Hi, Hutch—How
ya doing!” * John V. Emerson wrote me a nice
letter to share with classmates. John has retired and
Fail 59
Midd Connection
moved to a smaller home—easier to care for, elimi¬
nating all ladders to paint second stories, and fewer
stairs to sweep or fall down. Smart move, John.The
house also makes life simpler so he and wife
Bettina and their disabled adult child can travel and
not worry about pipes freezing in a big house. The
Emersons recently visited sunny FL and
Disneyland. In May they were traveling to Italy and
Greece. John spent time in Germany with the
armed forces after Middlebury graduadon, then
completed a masters in architecture at the Boston
Architectural Center. He worked a short rime for
the Salem (MA) Redevelopment Authority. He has
worked for himself or in partnerships for most of
his career. John hopes to make it to our big 50th
Reunion. Send me a recent photo, John.The idea
has already been sparked by our reunion chairs,
Billy Trask and Ruth Shonyo. # The sympathy
of the class goes to Margaret Nasmith Wedge,
whose husband, George, died on June 5. * We
also regret to report the recent death of Joseph
LaTaille and send the condolences of the class to
his family.
53
Class Secretaries: Richard T. Allen
(rtallen@bluecrab.org), P.O. Box 172,
Oxford, MD 21654; and Mrs. Joseph
W~S. Danis, Jr. (Ann Golding)
(sensei@yalley.net), P.O. Box 3, The Ridge, Oiford, NH
03777.
Laura Chapman Rico went to her 50th high
school reunion in NC and is looking forward to
our 50th in 2003. On the same trip, she visited her
sisters in VT and NY, and had a good visit with Pat
Heap Rockwell. She also attended a meeting of
professional graduates in CA. Laura returned to
Aniak, AK, this summer for vacation Bible school.
She was also there for the reburial of skeletal
remains repatriated from the Museum of Natural
History in NYC. * The cochairs of this seasons
United Way of Addison County Campaign have
been announced and they are none other than Jim
’51 and Ann McGinley Ross. Ann was the
cofounder of the United Fund of Cornwall, now
the United Way of Addison County, 30 years ago.
Ann spent 16 years teaching in Middlebury area
schools, then she was the director of the Children’s
Art Exchange for four years. Her list of responsible
leadership positions continues to grow: Cornwall
Girl Scout Troop leader, Green Mountain Fiddlers’
Parents chair, Middlebury AAUW president,
Middlebury Recycling Committee secretary,
Addison County CROP Walk chair, Frog Hollow
Craft Center board, and Children s Art Exchange
board. At the moment, she is serving as treasurer of
the Vermont Alliance for Arts Education and advis¬
er of the Children’s Art Exchange, in addition to
her duties for United Way. Of course she is also
involved with the Champlain Valley Unitarian
Universalist Society and volunteers for Meals on
Wheels.
weekend. John and Melissa, our student hosts, were
bright, cheerful, and accommodating, making the
“Chat” a perfect home away from home. Friday
arrivals wandered up to Proctor Terrace for a Taste
ofVermont buffet dinner. Some then went on to a
chapel concert and then to McCullough s new stu¬
dent center for a cabaret and jazz trio. Saturday
morning dawned clear, sunny, and warm (80
degrees).The Reunion Parade to Convocation in
Mead Chapel proceeded up the hill at 10:30, all of
us aided by our new Gamaliel Painter canes, given
by the College to all reuning classes. Lunch on
Proctor Terrace was followed by a large variety of
activities. The evening started with cocktails in the
lovely Chat drawing room (also 80 degrees), fol¬
lowed by dinner, a few speeches, and lots of con¬
versations. Sunday, yours truly (Whit) and Karol
Baldwin Teiko sang in the Alumni Choir at the
chapel service (not many dry eyes after the Seven¬
fold Amen), then many adjourned to Bob and
Betsy Heath ’58 Gleason’s charming home for a
farewell brunch. Gus Boardman ended up being
master of ceremonies, since Bill Skiff couldn’t
come at the last moment. Golf scores seemed to
have gotten lost (were they that bad?) so he called
on Pete Simonson to present tennis prizes to
Chris Van Curan and Lannie Osborn Gartner.
I agreed to do one LAST stint as class secretary and
Tom Ryan was persuaded to join me. He
announced at the dinner that if we don’t hear from
you, we will start making up news, so start those
letters or e-mails coming! Our class made a
S319,161 contribution to the Annual Fund, with
63 percent participation, and we’re gunning for
more participation in 2004. Five classmates came
back to a reunion for the first time ever and
announced they won’t miss another one. As we age,
I’m finding great satisfaction in renewing old
friendships, and I felt that others were experiencing
the same pleasure. Many, many thanks to Gus and
Sally Robinson Boardman. who chaired the
45th.They did a fabulous job! I’ll save the news I
dragged out of some of you for a future column. It
was really good to see everybody. Until we visit
again, stay involved, stay active! Tom wondered if
we should mention being carried from bosky dell
to sylvan glade in sedan chairs on the shoulders of
joyful graduating seniors? Or about the eight pro¬
fessional sky divers, trailing blue and white smoke,
who landed in our honor in front of Mead
Chapel? Or that the catered brunch at the Gleasons
was flown in from two of New York’s more famous
establishments and Bill’s Barbecue of Kerrville,TX?
Or should this just be a little secret among the 90
of us?
55
Class Secretaries: Katherine Hughes non
Hartz (jnhartz@niindspring.com), 111
E. Second St., New York, NY 10009
(212/982-7932); and Frank E.
Punderson,Jr. (fepund@aol.com), 1209 Cider Mill Rd.,
Middlebury, VT 05753.
54
Class Secretaries: Mrs. Robert B.
Nickerson (Nancy Whittemorc)
(forger@prodigy.net), 4 Osprey Ln.,
Mystic, CT 06355; and Mr. Tom Ryan
(trn@aol.com), 3 Knipp Rd., Houston TX 77024.
What an absolutely incredible weekend in the
Green Mountains ofVermont! Those of you who
stayed home, start planning for the 50th, because
we’ve ordered more of the same weather for 2004!
Sixty-three classmates were joined by 27 spouses
and friends at the Chateau for an activity-packed
We can’t believe it either, but it really is time for
our 45th Reunion! Mark your calendar: Reunion
2000, June 2-4, promises to be the best one ever—
and we don’t want to miss you! Vermont in June is
beautiful and our reunion—in conjunction with
the College’s Bicentennial Celebration—virtually
guarantees a great weekend back on campus.
Frank Punderson will serve as the class social
chair, so send him your ideas to help make this
reunion even more special than the last.
WHAT THEY'D DO
DIFFERENTLY IF THEY
COULD
"DO IT ALL AGAIN...."
“Take a Shakespeare course from Paul
Cubeta, a course from ‘Beowulf’ Brown,
and history from Professor Tillinghast,
more art courses from Arthur Healey.”
—Bill Simpson ’58
Oakland, CA
“Nothing, really—I have always felt—
and still do—that my courses and
friendships prepared me very very well
for teaching and family. My junior year
in France was excellent.
—Eleanor Flandreau Josset ’51
M.A. French, ’52
Bridport,VT
“I would be a more conscientious
student, and I would avoid some of the
silly courses I took.”
—Terry Twichell ’59
Ojai, CA
“Take better advantage of the wonderful,
natural environment.”
—-John Kerney ’61
Newtown, PA
“I probably would not be admitted, as
it is almost impossible to gain admission
due to the school’s current ‘swimsuit
rating’ by US News.”
—John Vecchiolla ’64
Greenwich, CT
“I would study some art history and
philosophy, maybe some American
Literature—in addition to all the lan¬
guages and history. I dream of having
another year as an undergraduate”
—Ann Fowler LaBerge ’65
Blacksburg, VA
“Enter as a freshman (I was a transfer),
spend a semester or year suidying
abroad, adventure outside my major
more often, take a biology class, do
more hiking, eat more sticky buns (!),
study a foreign language.”
—Charlotte Kaplinka Landon 76
White Plains, NY
60 Middlebury Magazine
Class Secretaries: John Chase, 2000
Sage Canyon Rd., Si. Helena, CA
94574;Joan MacKinnon Houghton
(jinackho@aol.com), 422 Taylor PI.,
Ithaca, NY 14850; and Lee Goodrich Tupman
(etlgt@aol.corn), 309 Cloverway Dr., Alexandria, VA
22314.
GE metallurgist Mark Benz has been elected to
the National Academy of Engineering, one of the
highest professional distinctions accorded an engi¬
neer. He was cited by the academy “for pioneering
and sustained contributions in metallurgy, ranging
from the iron-carbon system to nuclear Riel
cladding, superalloys, and superconductors.” His
amazing career at GE, which began in 1961, has
included many honors and awards. He made major
contributions to GE’s revolutionary MRT
(Magnetic Resonance-guided Therapy), which
allows a physician to stand over and work on a
patient being scanned by an MRI. During his
Coolidge Fellowship years (1996-98), he focused
on global research of “Materials for MRI Medical
Imaging Systems” and “Preparation of Ultra-clean
Nickel-base and Titanium-base Alloys by Innovative
Extensions of ESR Technology.” During this same
period, he was appointed a visiting scholar at
Middlebury. # Father Ronald C. Lawson, a priest
of the Montreal Archdiocese and chaplain with the
U.S. Dept.. ofVeterans Affairs, has been promoted
to the position of associate director of chaplain ser¬
vice at the national level. In this new responsibility,
he is chief consultant to the more than 300 Roman
Catholic priests employed across the U.S. in various
medical centers of the Dept. ofVeterans Affairs. He
is also chief coordinator for the chaplain services of
all theVA medical centers in New England, NY,
PA, NJ, DE, MD,VA,WV, and DC. * Our restless
biographer is at work once again. Lyman
Gilmore says he’s found yet another unknown,
dead, white, male poet to chronicle. * “Even with
coaching from Rollie Schopp, the pressure was
too great for the team of Bob Vuillet and Mike
Philbin.They were badly beaten by Karl
Brautigam and John Hoops at the Columbia
Country Club this July. Karl and John won so
much prize money, that they decided to take a trip
to Alaska.” At least this is the story according to
John Hoops. # After 44 years, former roommates
Marvin C. “Kip” Cheney and John Chase
finally got together in northern CA. Kip departed
Middlebury in 1955 for the Univ. of MI as part of
a dual degree program. Now active as a consultant
in the wind energy business, he splits his time
between Palm Springs and a residence in CT. Kip
brought with him a photo album (circa 1952-55)
with wonderful memories of the people of the
Class of ’56. Before such treasures are lost forever,
copies should be made for bulletin board display. A
digital scanner will enlarge snapshots inexpensively.
Please send copies to any of the class secretaries and
we’ll mount a display for our next reunion in 2001.
Class Secretaries: Polly Pitcher Gabriel
(jenryg@procker.com), 120 Huntington
Rd., Hadley, MA 01035; and Heather
Hamilton Robinson
(crobinson@jtop.monad.net), P.O. Box 3141,
Peterborough, NH 03458.
Lee Hall AJbern and Gail Parsell Beckett and
their husbands, Bob and Peter, spent three'weeks in
January exploring the wonders of the North and
South Islands of New Zealand. Stopping in CA on
their way home, Lee and Bob received a very spe¬
cial welcome. Their newest grandchild (their fifth)
arrived on January 29. The American Society for
Testing and Materials (ASTM) recently presented
Sheldon Dean with the 1998 Francis L. LaQue
Memorial Award for significant contributions in
the field of corrosion testing and evaluation.
Sheldon is a researcher with Air Products and
Chemicals, Inc., in Allentown, PA, where he lives
with wife Linda Durfee Dean ’58. ★ John
Middleton participated in a panel discussion about
reporting the news in Southbury, CT, last spring.
John has been editor of the Heritage Villager news¬
paper in Southbury for 22 years. # Now retired as
an administrator for the International Tennis
Federation, Kendall Farrar, was running for a
place on the Orleans, M A, Board of Selectman last
spring. Kendall is a member of the Orleans Citizens
Forum and the Association for Preservation of
Cape Cod.
Class Secretaries: Stephanie Eaton, 243
Pleasant St., Littleton, NH 03561;
Joseph E. Mohbat (jmohbat@aol.com),
551 Pacific St., Brooklyn, NY 11217;
and Ann Parnie Ormsbee, 1699 Candelero Ct., Walnut
Creek, CA 94598.
Each Middlebur}' Magazine includes a pull-out card
for your communication convenience. Remove it,
fill it out, and put it in the mail. We need to hear
from you!
Class Secretaries: Nancy McKnight
Smith (nrncks@chesapeake.net), PO. Box
349, Prince Frederick, MD 20678; and
Don Woodworth (dewoody 13@Jiotmail.
com), 32 Merritt Rd., S. Glens Falls, NY 12803.
Retiring class secretary Byron Koh reports: Our
40th Reunion was a remarkable one for several
reasons. Our turnout was impressively high (118
class members—67 percent of the class). We
received the Raymond A. Ablondi ’52 Cup for the
largest reunion class gift ever presented to the
College (more than $7 million from 63 percent of
the class). We also received the Gordon C. Perine
’49 Award (to the reunion class other than the 25th
and 50th with the greatest increase in the class gift).
Again, we have two class presidents: Pete Erbe and
Anne Martin Hartmann. Classmates who
deserve more thanks include reunion chairs Roger
Miller and Ann Martin Hartmann: past class
presidents Granthia Lavery Preston and Pete
Erbe. One highlight of the weekend was the canoe
trip in perfect weather, with 42 of us in 13 canoes
starting from the covered bridge and paddling three
or four miles down Otter Creek toward
Middlebury. This flawless trip was organized by
Hilton Bicknell. At the class dinner, Bick made
the following trip awards:The Teamwork/Helpers
Award to Bob Luce, John Fay, Lester
McDowell, and Bill Hahn. Shirley Manchester
McDowell was cited for her trip alone in a kayak.
The “Best Legs” went to George Finch. Tammy
Kuebler won the “Queen of the Nile” award;
Noel Casely Locke was the “Most Sophisticated
Dressed Lady.” Bick thanked the class for its support
over the years that finally brought him home from
the Vietnam War. # The class dinner was in a large
tent behind the former Sig Ep house (now
Meeker), while the full moon rose over the moun¬
tains. Chaplain Scott and Prof. Pardon Tillinghast
were there. Barry Croland. again our master of
ceremonies, cited Harry Hisang and wife Nancy
as those who had traveled farthest to attend—from
Downstream with y 59ers Linda Brewster Jackson,
Dieter van der Bent, and George Jackson (see 1959
column)
Hong Kong. # The 40th Reunion Newsletter has
many details about our classmates. One item that
didn’t make it into the Newsletter was about Dan
Kirby, who has been retired for four years from a
career in banking with Fuji and then Barclay
Banks. When Dan met his wife in Japan, she could
not speak English, but he spoke Japanese. Their
daughter,Victoria, is now 26. A gardener and fly
fisherman who ties his own flies, Dan calls himself
a “silly old man, who tries to do as little as possi¬
ble.” # Teaching at Boise State Univ. for 30 years,
Charles Davis specializes in the British novel. He
teaches a humanities course on television, serves on
the board of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and is
treasurer of the Writer’s Project. # Someone asked
if the cookies at the class dinner were “Joe
Froggers,” made by David Percival. # Earla and
Don Woodworth, who have three Middlebury
offspring, attended reunion along with youngest
son Gordon ’84, who was there for his 15th
Reunion. Gordon is sports information director at
UVM. Son Greg is an attorney in Portland, ME;
daughter Sue coordinates campus ministries at
Hartwick and Oneonta State. * Paul Schosberg
has been chief of staff for two congressmen. * A
personal highlight of reunion was our stay at
Judith’s Garden, a delightful bed and breakfast run
by Richard Conrad and wife Judith Irven in
Goshen,VT. Fran and I enjoyed the room (there are
three guest rooms), our hosts, the house, the walks,
the extraordinary breakfasts, and the gardens. Fran
and I—along with Nancy and Harry Hsiang
(who also stayed there)—saw a moose in their small
pond! After seeing many of our male classmates at
reunion, I was struck by how much weight has
been shed since 1959. We are all healthier and bet¬
ter looking. # Terry Twichell became a grandfa¬
ther for the first time last October, when a son was
born to his son. In the spring he became a grandfa¬
ther once again with the birth of a daughter to his
daughter, Molly Twichell Perry (M.A. Spanish ’92).
Molly teaches Spanish atThacher School (Ojai,
CA), where Terry is an administrator. * Phil and
Pam Moyer ’69 Buley are enjoying retirement
with their “annual February break in DC, catching
up on the latest at the National, Renwick, and
Corcoran Galleries.”Their daughter was married in
May, then “a week in Hong Kong soaking up the
contrasting culture. After four days at home (mow¬
ing and laundering!) it was two weeks in Morocco.
Now it’s time to travel in the U.S. to see our sons,
wherever they are settled by fall.” # John
Medici —an editor-translator at Chemical Abstracts
Service in Columbus, OH—swims competitively,
speaks four languages, and competes in triathlons.
Fall 61
Midd Connection
In addition, he has collected minerals, gemstones,
and fossils since 1964, with several of his finds end¬
ing up at the Smithsonian Institution and the
Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. Besides
supplying him with adventures, his collecting has
financed the college educations of sons Jay (34),
Eric (32), and Brett (30). In September 1998,John
finished first in his age bracket at the Miss America
Pageant Swim in Atlantic City, NJ, a 1.5-mile
ocean swim. In the months prior, he won three
events at the OH Masters championships, finished
in the top 10 in every event at the Masters short-
course championships, won his age group at the
Delaware County Triathlon, won seven medals
from the Masters long-course championships in Ft.
Lauderdale, FL, and qualified for this Octobers
Senior Olympics in triathlon and most swimming
events. However, he was not likely to compete in
the Senior Olympics: “I just don’t have the time to
work out.” Sounds like a busy guy. ♦ Our new
class secretaries are Nancy McKnight Smith and
Don Woodworth. I am sure that Nancy and Don
will enjoy their terms. As Granthia said at the din¬
ner, working with the College is a joy. I hope that
all of us will attend the 45th Reunion, for all the
obvious reasons and one that I had not thought of.
As Aliceanne Britian Griffin observed, “Where
else are you going to find so many people of your
own age?” And where else would there be so many
people of your own age with whom you have such
a significant shared history?
Class Secretaries: Jean Seeler (jean-
dave@miinispring.com), 5016 Pinnacle
Dr., Oldsmar, FL 34677; Rich
Wilkinson (moviejhope@aol.com), 992
Sherwood Forest Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401; and Jan
Fisher Barstad, 2107 S. Ventura Dr.,Tempe,AZ
85282.
Bill Stritzler, owner and managing director of
Smugglers’ Notch Resort, has been appointed to
the board ofVT Public Television. * Tim Smith
and wife Anne are retired and living in Craftsbury
Common,VT, where they rebuilt a 130-year-old
house. Last winter Tim taught x-country skiing and
coached a high school team (at age 60). Last spring
they sailed their boat in the Caribbean. # Penny
Pitou was in the news recently when former
recipients of scholarships from the Lakes Region
Scholarship Foundation (LRSF) got together in
Laconia, NH, to share their success stories. Penny
said she would not have been able to go to
Middlebury without the support she received from
the LRSF, which has awarded $1,755,000 in schol¬
arships since 1956. Penny owns her own travel
agency in Laconia. * Gail “Pug” Smith Bieger
e-mailed from the Netherlands, where she is still a
medical translator. She gets to the states regularly to
visit her mother. She and husband Rob have trav¬
eled extensively, to places such as Central Asia,
China, Guatemala, India, and South Africa.Their
plans for 2000 include Jordan and Syria. ♦ Lee
(Leon) Vancini, of Johns Island, SC, celebrated his
big six—O last fall by taking both sons to Ireland for
a golf holiday. Actually, it was more of an endurance
test, as they played seven courses in eight days. Pres.
Clinton tried to bump them from Ballybunion on
HIS day, but Lee and the boys completed their
round before his tee time. Last November Lee
spent time in Egypt and the UK on airport finan¬
cial consulting assignments. His firm is rapidly
becoming a recognized investment banker to that
industry. In May he made another trip to London,
combining business and pleasure. # Polly Johnson
Stephens, of Concord, MA, works in human
resources for what became Corning OCA after
their acquisition by Corning Inc. two years ago. She
has watched the company go from 50 to 250
employees and still growing, doesn’t see retirement
in the near future, and takes courses in human
resources management at Bentley College. She stays
in touch with Helen Schlaufman Lang and
Sandra Feldmann Williamson. They hope to get
together one of these days. (How about reunion
2000?) # After living in parsonages for 35 years,
John and Mary Jane Bliss Swanson own their
first home in Raymond, ME.They enjoy the end¬
less landscaping possibilities and the freedom retire¬
ment has given them. MJ works three spring
months at a greenhouse and puts most of her earn¬
ings into plants. Their fourth graduated from col¬
lege in May 1997, allowing them time and money
to travel—HI this year, they hope. For the June
wedding of their second Midd kid, Karla ’89, MJ
made the wedding dress and the dress for the maid
of honor, youngest daughter Shelley. * Caroline
Smith Freeman, of Somerville, MA, has a newish
job: information technology manager for PinPoint
Corp., Bedford and Burlington, MA. PinPoint is
the leading provider in the new product category
of Local Positioning Systems. Using digital, spread
spectrum radio frequency technology, they can help
you locate, track, and secure your company’s valu¬
able assets and personnel. * Judy Neese Woods
and Jean Maclnnes got together for breakfast
when Jean made her annual trip from Bozeman,
MT, to Albuquerque, NM, to visit friends. In June,
Judy traveled to Prague and Budapest. Husband
Bob has been flying his homebuilt Cyote experi¬
mental airplane. Still undecided about retirement,
Judy continues teaching English in high school and
is extra busy as area president of the International
Reading Assoc. * Linda Sharp Cooper and hus¬
band Dick Hevly hope to make it to reunion in
2000. Linda’s eldest son, Jim Cooper and family,
moved from HI to Houston, making it easier for
Linda to visit grandsons Ryan and Tyler James
Cooper.Younger son Rick Cooper and his family
live in Beaverton, OR. # Western class secretary
Jan Fisher Barstad reports from Tempe, AZ, that
Bill and Liz Van Horn Taylor are moving from
one address to another in Tucson. They sold a
house out by the Desert Museum, west of town,
and are moving into town to be near their favorite
bakery and Trader Joe’s. Jan got a book to press
with Southwest Parks and Monuments Assn., on
Hohokam pottery, for anyone interested in prehis¬
toric stuff. Jan and husband Ron travel the
Southwest whenever they can in their customized
van camper. * Judy Falby Tuttle has gotten her
program for school-aged boys accredited. In
January she took them to Whist, BC, for snow¬
boarding. In May they went to Belize to snorkel,
visit the rain forest, and see the Mayan ruins. Her
students built a photography studio so they can
develop the pictures they take on their trips. # On
a trip to New England, Jean Seeler and significant
other Dave Gifford visited with Jim and Susan
Long Brock in Williamsburg,VA. Susan has been
taking classes at William and Mary. Now that Jim is
retired, they winter in VA and summer in
Boothbay, ME. Their daughter is being married
next spring so they won’t be able to get to reunion.
♦ Jean and Dave ran into Judy Tutde’s younger
brother and his family on the city dock in
Annapolis, MD. The Tuttles were returning home
via the Intercoastal Waterway after spending a year
sailing in the Caribbean. Jean was wearing the
Middlebury sweatshirt she bought at our 35th
Reunion. Start planning for our 40th,June 2-4,
2000.Thanks for all the notes and e-mails. Keep
’em coming.
61
Class Secretary: Steve Crampton,
STarbox Rd.,Jericho, VT 05465.
Ralph Stone has been honored for
his voluntary provision of legal services to the poor.
The State Bar of California presented Ralph with
the Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Services Award in
March. A retired Federal Trade Commission attor¬
ney, Ralph volunteers at the Cooperative
Restraining Order Clinic in San Francisco, assisting
battered women prepare legal forms with the sup¬
porting declarations necessary to apply for restrain¬
ing orders against their batterers. * Judy
Remmington Parsons would be as proud as her
husband Rod Parsons ’62 is of their son, Brad
Parsons, and as Susan and I are of our daughter,
Kathryn Crampton. After college at Stanford and
Pomona respectively, both Brad and Kathryn grad¬
uated with honors from the UVM College of
Medicine in May. They were two of eight class¬
mates elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical
Honor Society. Brad received the James E.
Demeules Surgical Research Prize awarded by the
Medical School, while Kathryn received the
Charles T. Schectman Award for clinical excellence
from the Medical School and the Pediatric Prize
from the New England Pediatric Society of
Boston. Brad has accepted a residency in orthope¬
dic surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC,
where he will reside with wife Cindy. Kathryn has
accepted a residency in pediatrics at the Fletcher-
Alien Medical Center in Burlington, where she will
reside with husband Jason, a second-year resident.
62
Class Secretaries: Judy Bosworth
Roesset, 11909 Arch Hill Dr., Austin,
TX 78750; Ben (Jim) Rosin (ben-
rosin@aol.com), 475 Quaker Rd.,
Chappaqua, NY 10514; and Bonnie Boyd Russ, 11
Ringbolt Rd., Hingham, 3/lA 02043.
Kathleen McKinley Harris of Charlotte, VT, has
won the Ralph Nading Hill,Jr., literary prize
awarded annually by Green Mountain Power Corp.
and Vermont Life Magazine. Her winning entry—a
poem entitled “Bear Fear”—was to be published in
the fall issue of Vermont Life. Her poem was based
on childhood memories of her family’s farm in
Hyde Park,VT. # Dr. John W. Furlow, Jr. has
been appointed interim dean at Ohio University-
Lancaster.John had been serving as assistant dean
and chief academic officer of the campus. Before
coming to the university in 1993, John served as
the director of academic affairs at Penn State
University’s DuBois campus and was an assistant
prof, of history. # Liza Dunphey Fischer was
planning to take daughter Pam, a Chicago archi¬
tect, on a three-week Craftworld Tour in Ecuador
and Peru this summer. Next summer’s adventure
will be a 13-day trip in the Grand Canyon with
Larry. She and a friend have formed a two-woman
Outdoor Club with the following rules: NO
SHOPPING!; be outdoors; bring your own lunch;
be able to walk. Their farthest foray forth was to a
two-day women’s clinic on sea kayaking on Lake
Michigan. Among other things, they learned how
to escape from an upside-down kayak. She said it
was great fun. # In 1993. Carol Brewer
Marsden moved from NY to Albuquerque, where
she is coordinator for the city’s employee assistance
program. This involves testing and counseling police
62 Middlebury Magazine
PROFILE
VOYAG E BACK IN TIME
H eddi Slebel 72 HAS A dream. It took shape 10
years after her mother gave her a dusty green
book — a journal written by her grandfather, John
Colin Vaughan, while journeying to the North Pole with the
Aigler Expedition. The Aigler Expedition was a company of
American and Norwegian men who set out for the “blank
spot on the map” in 1903, in hopes of doing what had not yet
been done: attaining the North Pole. But on the expedition
something unexplained occurred; despite ample funding and
an experienced crew, the ship sank and the expedition failed.
Nearly 100 years later, Heddi Siebel is attempting to discover
what caused the expedition to fail so disastrously.
A painter and printmaker living in Cambridge,
Massachussetts, Siebel decided that the only way to know
what happened to her grandfather and the company was to
take the journey herself. The idea occurred to her that the
story — the real story, complete with psychological revelation —
would reveal itself in the landscape as she painted it. She raises
questions regarding the artistic experience in conjunction
with exploration, how history colors past events, and the
connection between story and landscape. By existing in, and
painting, the landscape that her grandfather explorered, Heddi
Siebel hopes to find the truth — not only about the expedi¬
tion, but about herself and artistic experience in general.
Siebel, along with her son, Alex Felix, took her first trip
last summer to Svalbard, a group of islands off the coast of
Norway owned by 42 separate nations, where she was able to
Heddi Siebel is exploring, through painting, the territory where her
grandfather's expedition ended in disaster.
begin piecing together her grandfather’s story. She kept a
journal, recording whom she met, the information they con¬
tributed, and what she saw. The journal is posted on a Web site
devoted to the project (http://earth.simmons.edu/arctic_art)
where Siebel has stockpiled her thoughts and impressions.
She’ll return to the Arctic in 2001, this time to the Franz
Josef Land, which is mostly wilderness, populated only by mili¬
tary bases and old explorers’ camps. Siebel will spend two years
there, painting and exploring. “I am taking a decidedly artistic,
psychological, and perhaps female point of view in analyzing
just what happened to the group during their two years on
the Franz Josef Land,” she explains. Julia Whitty, a writer and
film producer from California, is producing a documentary in
collaboration with Siebel.The film will use the contemporary
expedition to tell the historical story. —Courtney Palinbush ’00
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and firemen, corrections officers, heavy equipment
operators, etc., for drug and alcohol abuse and
other problems. She is also president of the NM
chapter of the Employee Assistance Professional
Assoc. She has two married children—Anne, who
has two daughters (5 and 3), and George, who lives
in Tucson. # Scotti Stephens Wright had one
hip replaced in May and the second in July. # Judy
Bosworth Roesset reports taking a Holiday
Fellowship walking tour in March 1997, in
Mallorca.That was such fun and I met such a super
bunch of people that in May 1998 I signed up for
two weeks with H.F. in Tuscany and this May for
another two weeks in Sorrento. H.F. is an English
group. In July I’m going to try one of their walks
in Wales, in the Brecon Mountains, after spending a
week in northern Wales at a timeshare with my
husband and friends. I’ve been severely bitten by
the travel bug and walking is a wonderful way to
see bits and pieces of a country, without the temp¬
tation to shop (after two weeks in Italy I had only
$ 15 worth of purchases to declare!) and to meet
some really fascinating fellow hikers. All these trips
have been exhilarating experiences. Healthy, too,
though for some unaccountable reason all' that vig¬
orous exercise doesn’t compensate for the abundant
food and wine! * Bonnie Boyd Russ reports:
Helen Stone Alcala just returned from the “trip
of a lifetime” in France. She stayed with a French
friend she met years ago while studying for her
master’s in Paris with the Middlebury Program.
Her travels included Paris and environs, Figeac and
environs (12th-century villages built into cliffs, sur¬
rounded by fortifications), the towns of Provence,
La Camarque, and Les St. Marie’s on the coast. The
“French immersion”—speaking, reading, writing,
and listening to French for a month—was helpful,
as Helen teaches French and Spanish at Lasell
College in Newton, MA. Helen’s daughter, Lisa,
lives in AZ with her family, including Helen’s
granddaughter Lillian. # Pete Steinle is still
enjoying sales through his company Steinle
Associates with Mass Mutual. He and wife Lynn
live in West Hartford, CT. He admits to taking
much more time now to enjoy family and travel, as
well as frequent fishing or hunting trips with John
Sinclair. Last March, he blew out 60 candles in FL,
while on vacation with Lynn and children Tom
’84, Susan Steinle McKenzie ’87, Peter ’92, and
four grandchildren. In May he returned to FL to
celebrate the wedding of Jean and A1 ’60 and Jean
Yeomans Lamson’s daughter, Kate. Reports con¬
firm a wonderful wedding and lots of laughs with
Nancy and John Sinclair, Nancy and Jim Laird,
and Jim ’59 and Sally Tingle Southard ’61. #Jane
McKinney Johnson is another brave classmate
who says “let me hear from you” if you’re planning
a trip to the Atlanta area. She is one hour south of
Atlanta and promises bass fishing delight at the
25,000-acre Corps of Engineer’s lake. (Maybe Pete
Steinle and John Sinclair will take you up on that,
Jane!) Jane’s son Patrick graduated from FL State
last year and has returned to the Atlanta area to
look for a job. Son David has a year to go at GA
Tech, where he is an industrial engineering major.
Jane and husband Bill were looking forward to a
trip to Warsaw, Poland, in September to visit with
friends stationed there (Air Attache), who will
accompany them on trips to Budapest and Prague.
Class Secretaries: Janet Brevoort Allen
(janballen@aol.com), 2 Arizona PL,
Huntington Station, NY 11746; and
Christopher J. White (crnbiycst@aol.coni),
15 W. Cavalier Rd., Scottsville, NY 14546.
63
On April 30, John Connors completed a five-
month consulting assignment in Boston. “A high¬
light of the sojourn was dinner hosted by Karen
and Mark Cangiano. Also present were Beverly
and Sabin Streeter and son Gordon ’90. One of
us was running in the Boston Marathon the next
day. It should not be too hard to determine which
one. As I discovered this trip, there is much more to
Fall 63
Boston than the Combat Zone to which several of
our classmates escorted me during our college
years. Had a wonderful time in the North End,
along Newbury, and in the theater district. Had to
visit Cotton and Increase Mathers’graves.They
caused me enough trouble in Prof. Munford’s class,
so I wanted to be sure they weren’t still writing! At
the end of the tour, I was reduced to boarding cata¬
marans to watch whales frolic in the Atlantic! I did
get to see a game at Fenway. A great ball park!” #
Watercolorist Debbie Peterson Tintle was “artist
of the month” at Montclair (NJ) Community
Hospital last March. Her travels throughout the
U.S. and Europe were reflected in this exhibit,
which included landscapes, Beatrix Potters garden
at Hawkshead, Renoir’s farm in Gagnes, and the
boating communities ofRockport and Gloucester,
MA. Debbie has served as president of the NJ
Watercolor Society, as a board member of the
Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, and as a board
member of the NJ American Artists Professional
League. * Dr. Edward G. Hixson was profiled in
the Lake Placid News last February. Besides his med¬
ical practice in Saranac Lake, NY, he has served as
the director of the medical supervisory team for
the U.S. Nordic Ski Team since 1978 . He was vice
chair of medical services for the 1980 Olympic
Winter Games in Lake Placid and has obtained the
rank of Lt. Col. with the Army National Guard in
VT. In addition to three adult children, Ed and wife
Karen are the parents of two teenage sons. His
“leisure” time activities include high altitude
mountaineering and expeditions, including Mt.
Everest expeditions in 1992 , 1993 , and 1994 . * We
regret to report the death of Susan Whitlock
Roesler on May 24. A memorial appears elsewhere
in this issue.
Class Secretary: John Vecchiolla (vecchiol-
la@juno.com), 193 Byram Rd.,
Greenwich, CT 06830.
Check out the alumni Web site at www.middle-
bury.edu/~alumni, where our class photo is (or
perhaps was, by the time you read this) the featured
reunion photo.Thirty-nine class members returned
for our 35th Reunion in May, when we were
headquartered in Allen Hall. Sam Gordon served
as the master of ceremonies for the class banquet,
held in a tent behind Forest Hall. John Vecchiolla
was selected to chronicle our lives via class notes, so
send your news to the address in the heading
above. John has been reelected to the CT Bar
Assoc. House of Delegates from District #1-
Greenwich for a three-year term and to the board
of governors. # Timothy Hayward is president
of the Vermont Bankers Assoc, in Montpelier.
Active in community and political affairs,Tim has
served as chair of the school board, town budget
committee, and clerk of the Union High School
district.Tim and wife Susan have three children. #
Jean Waller Brune is a “dynamic, dedicated
teacher, mother and grandmother,” (North Adams,
MA Transcript July 17) who is waging a battle
against illiteracy. She taught at Gilman, a boys’
school in Baltimore, for 24 years and is now of
Roland Park Country School in Baltimore, a pri¬
vate girls’school. Jean promotes her love of reading
and is looking forward to reading to her first
grandchild, Isabelle Jean, who recently turned one.
# Henry Katz, a 47-year resident of Sharon, MA,
has been a selectman for nine years and was run¬
ning for another three-year term last May. Henry
and wife Ellen Wilbur have raised three children in
Sharon. * Molly Buflfum TUrlish is director of
development, College of Arts and Sciences,
Northeastern Univ.As a prime mover in initiating
and managing a minority internship program,
Molly is the 1999 winner of the Carol and Stephen
Hebert Award for CASE District I. # We regret to
report the death of Margaret Roache Wenzel on
June 9. A memorial appears elsewhere in this issue.
Class Secretaries: Polly Moore Walters
(Mrs. Kenneth), 100 Grandview Ave.,
Fort Collins, CO 80521; and Frederick
W Stetson (fredstets@aol.com), 123 N.
Union St., Burlington, VT 05401.
On learning of the death of Wendy Peirson
Nourjian on May 3, from cancer, Fred Stetson
wrote the following:“How sad, how disconnected I
feel, not to have known of your courageous strug¬
gle, and not to have known the beauty of your later
life. But, I can tell by what I’ve read and heard
about you in recent days that I need not have wor¬
ried.You would not want sadness or pity or self-
pity. You would want us to live life to the fullest and
that fits the way I remember you. As long as my
memory serves me, I will not forget the time you
came to my window (I discovered much later that
this was your birthday!) on Easter 1962, freshman
year, when I lived in a ground-floor room in
Flepburn Hall. On Easter morning, you came to
my window with a gift. We had not seen much of
each other that spring. Bruce, I think, had been
winning your affections. But on that morning,
while I was grinding away at my books, you left on
my window sill an Easter basket, not of eggs, but
three new tennis balls, painted with Easter-like
flowers, bunnies, and other decorations. Just a little
something to brighten my life as I struggled to
meet the academic challenges of my first year at
Middlebury. I was so grateful for your kind gesture,
your thoughtfulness, and your friendship. Later that
morning, you rode your bike out past Lake
Dunmore to the Falls of Liana. You and a few
friends swam in the frigid mountain stream and
then hiked back to Middlebury, laughing much of
the way. At least that’s how Mike McCann
remembered the outing. How I wish I had taken a
break from studying and taken that trip. You gave
encouragement and joy to others at Middlebury,
too, especially by your spirited skiing on the slopes
of the Snow Bowl. You have four wonderful chil¬
dren. You have touched others and given kind and
joyful gifts. We thank you, we love you, and we
wish you peace and happiness, wherever heaven’s
fair winds may take you. On behalf of the
Middlebury College Class of 1965, your friend,
Fred.” Another memorial appears elsewhere in this
issue. # We lost another valiant classmate with the
death of Richard C. Douglas on June 28. Using
a wheelchair since 1980, due to multiple sclerosis,
Rick was an ardent advocate for the rights of the
disabled. From 1991 to 1995 he was executive
director of the President’s Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities, speaking
nationally and meeting with disability rights orga¬
nizations. Knowing that employment is the key to
participation in society, he urged people to be
assertive in demanding to be treated fairly. His
advocacy for access to commuter aircraft created
national media coverage, which led to a change in
policy and new regulations requiring lifts for com¬
muter planes to accommodate wheelchair users.
Rick was on campus in April 1997, speaking on
disabilities and civil rights. We extend the deepest
sympathy of the class to his wife, Nancy Flinn, and
all the family. A memorial appears elsewhere. *
Ann Fowler LaBerge has a third book out:
Constructing Paris Medicine (Amsterdam/Atlantic;
Rodzer, 1998). Ann is still an assoc, prof, of science
and technology studies at Virginia Tech. Daughter
Leigh Claire graduated from Hampshire College
(Amherst, MA) in 1998. Daughter Louisa is a
senior at the Univ. ofVA.
Class Secretaries: John Rehlen,'Hie
Manse, PO. Box 275, Castleton, VT
05735; and Charlotte Stetson, 10 South
St., Middlebury, VT 05753.
Carolyn Sharp Hamilton (carolynhamilton(a
mindspring.com) writes: “We’ve moved on! Took
early retirement from AT&T/Lucent and found
sun, fish, and fun in Punta Gorda, FL.This is our
U.S. base from which we travel to Asia (our for¬
mer home), to Italy and Rome, and to the
Bahamas.”
Class Secretaries: Susan Danis Patterson
(spattchs@pop.k 12.vt.us), 67 Robinson
Pkwy, Burlington, VT 05401; and
David E. Robinson (wissco@uno.com),
1 Woodbine Ln., Amherst, NH 03031.
Class secretary David Robinson reports: Craig
Ehrich recently reported on a five-day blackout
that he and about a million other New Yorkers
endured during a July heat wave. Those of us who
live in more rural areas may forget what it can be
like to live on an upper floor of an apartment
building when suddenly there is no water, no air
conditioning, no stairwell lighting, no elevator, and
food spoiled in the refrigerator. Craig reported that
it was especially tough on the elderly. Many people
took chairs out to the sidewalks. With no television
and no lamplight for evening reading, they finally
had a chance to chat with their neighbors. We also
recalled, in the aftermath of several shootings this
year on high school campuses, the relative inno¬
cence of our years at Middlebury. There were so
few kinds of trouble that we could get into—and
the college rules in the mid-’60s provided penalties
for offenses that today seem almost quaintly appeal¬
ing. I seem to recall a rule against stealing trays
from the dining hall to slide down Chapel Hill on
a winter day. Male classmates who remained on the
women’s side of campus after 11 EM. curfew were
escorted back across the street by Officer Robert
Steves. And should a Middlebury woman accept an
invitation to enter a men’s dormitory and be found
therein, she could anticipate an immediate suspen¬
sion (and a call to parents) from 1 )ean Kelley. Most
of us did not have cars, knew no one who had a
gun, and knew nothing of mind-altering drugs
(other than alcohol).The only big offenses available
were breaking curfew (unfairly for the women
only) or being drunk and disorderly.Today’s stu¬
dents live in a tougher world. They face far greater
chance than we did of contracting a sexually trans¬
mitted disease, have a greater concern for global
problems, must sort out the complexities of 1990s
post-sexual-revolution relationships, and confront
more complex choices about career and graduate
school. Add to that the chance of having a
deranged classmate with a firearm, and you’re talk¬
ing about a harsher world. Though they didn’t
seem so at the time, we can look back at our col¬
lege years as a comfortable time for learning and
growing when we were truly living in a simpler
world. * Arthur Murphy is a research scientist at
the Georgia Tech Center for Rehabilitation
Technology. He formerly taught principles of com-
.
64 Middlebury Magazine
WHAT THEY'D DO
DIFFERENTLY IF THEY
COULD
"DO IT ALL AGAIN...."
“More!”
—Michael Jay Epley ’85
New York, NY
“I would envision the thoughts and
feelings which would have made me
the happiest; trying that and not limit¬
ing my experience.”
—Todd W. Miller ’83
Burlington,VT
“Skip the practical courses, science and
math, and take more art, music, and
philosophy I’d risk speaking up more in
class, even if it made me look like an
idiot”
—Robert Gladding ’85
New York, NY
“I would do a double major in philoso¬
phy and German instead of economics
and German. Middlebury is an academ¬
ic utopia—the only chance you may
have in life to both exercise the mind
and indulge the intellect.
—Amy Leith ’90
New York, NY
“I would slow down and enjoy the
beautiful Vermont outdoors.”
—Anika Kersten-Thompson ’93
Minneapolis, MN
“I would have gone abroad junior year,
and started crew before my junior year”
—Brian Rickauer, '93
Greenwich, CT
“I would have taken more pictures”
—Ryan Jones ’93
University Park, Ml )
“I would not have become a member
of a social house. I would have double
majored in history and art-history. I
would have snowboarded instead of ski¬
ing. I would have taken more literature
and writing classes.”
—Aaron Mendelsohn ’95
Washington, DC]
puter programming and information technology to
adults with physical disabilities. * Charles Mead
has been named VP of sales at Interpath
Communications. He was most recently VP of
communications industry sales at Compaq
Computer Corp. # After more than 25 years of
service, Jim Soule (jim.soule@state.co.us) retired
from the Colorado Geological Survey in
September. He now works part time for the
Survey, enabling him to deal with chronic arthritis
caused by hemochromatosis. Jim studied under the
late Brew Baldwin and the late Pete Coney at
Middlebury, after which he obtained his masters
from the Univ. of NM, Albuquerque, in 1971. Jim
has worked primarily in the areas of engineering
geology, geologic-hazards analysis, and assisting local
governments with dealing with related geologic
problems. Living with wife Evelyn in Denver, he is
still very active in the Denver and CO professional
geologic communities.
68
Class Secretaries: Bentley Gregg
(gregg.bentley@epamail.epagov), 418
East St. NE, Vienna, VA 22180; Nancy
Brooks Richardson (dr44@aol.com), 10
Sedgemeadow Rd., Wayland, MA 01778; and David
Weinstein (dweinst@plainfield.bypass.com), PO. Box
414, St.Johnsbnry, VT 05819.
In his capacity as visual effects producer/supervisor
this past year. Dan Curry received four Emmy
nominations in the best special visual effects cate¬
gory, for three different episodes of Star Trek, Voyager,
and the final episode of Star Trek, Deep Space Nine.
Dan, who acquired three Emmies in previous years,
lives in Bell Canyon, CA, with wife Ubolvan and
son Devin (17). * Leslie Limon (icom6@mind-
spring.com) writes: “I have a two-and-a-half-year
old freelance copywriting business, with the mis¬
sion to obliterate gratuitous techno- and market¬
ing-speak wherever it lurks. Send me your leads!
Recently I’ve expanded my campaign to jargon-
heavy webtext.The good news: the market’s enor¬
mous. The bad news: the worst offenders either
don’t get it or don’t care.”
Class Secretaries: Anne Harris Onion
(onionpatch@cyberportal.net), PO. Box
207, Gilmanton, NH 03237; and Peter
Reynolds (preyn@ivcvt.com), 64 Maple
St., Bristol, VT 05443.
Forty-eight members of the Class of’69 returned
to campus for our 30th Reunion. Our lodging
consisted of two of the four new Ridgeline Woods
houses, which were beautiful. Our social chairs,
Julianne Wallace and Bill Hearne, were ably
assisted by Jackie Ogden English of Middlebury,
although Jackie couldn’t attend reunion. She and
Dick were attending son Joels graduation from
Connecticut College. The class banquet was held at
the Waybury Inn and many in the class ended up at
Johnson, dancing the night away to Mango Jam. #
Jamie Johnson Fitzgerald was recently named a
partner in the Stamford, CT, law firm of
Cummings & Lockwood. Jamie lives in Guilford
with her husband, Stephen. * In Ml, Fred Batten
has joined Berry Moorman PC., a Detroit and
Birmingham based law firm with an affiliated office
in St. Petersburg, Russia. Fred is a shareholder in
the labor and employment law group. * M. Fred
Brown has been appointed to the board of direc¬
tors of Granite Broadcasting Corp. Fred is the pres¬
ident and founder ofJetAir Capital, Inc., specializ¬
ing in commercial jet aircraft, jet trading and leas¬
ing, and aircraft spare parts. * Bill Clinton has
nominated Judge Bill Sessions to serve as a mem¬
ber of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, an inde¬
pendent commission in the judicial branch which
establishes policies and practices for the federal
courts. # E-mail from Christy Hitchens (star-
dian@gateway.net): “Sorry I had to miss the 30th
Reunion, but I was skydiving in Eloy, AZ, doing
100-person formation skydives! Some of the peo¬
ple I was jumping with had just been on the sky¬
dive with former President George Bush on June
9. Most sunny weekends are occupied with skydiv¬
ing with a four-person team, and we are again
planning to go the U.S. National Championships of
Formation Skydiving in September in Sebastian,
FL. Come see us there on September 18—26!” #
Surprise your new class secretaries by sending them
news at the addresses in the heading above!
Class Secretary: Andy Wentink
(andy@Joccls.org), 232 Fycke Lii.,
Teaneck, NJ 07666.
In summer ’98, Tom Pierson “spent about three
months in Ecuador on a sabbatical that afforded me
time to do some immersion Spanish training, teach
a short course at a university in QLiito, do some
geological field work in the Andes, and finish up
with eight days in the Amazon jungle, complete
with swimming in ‘piranha-infested’ rivers with
pink, ffesh-water dolphin. QLiite an experience! I
returned unexpectedly for another three weeks in
October, during a period of unrest at Guagua
Pichincha volcano, which is just on the outskirts of
Quito. In January, I largely set aside active research
with the USGS to try my hand at science-agency
management, as associate scientist in charge at the
Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, WA.
Homelife is crazy, fun, and estrogen-saturated with
four teenage daughters/stepdaughters, but I find a
little time for hobbies that include crafting an elab¬
orate tree house in our back woods (1.5 stories and
sleeps six) and playing jazz and blues on the clarinet
(resurrected from junior high days). In late June I’ll
be taking daughter Clare on a college tour through
CA, stopping on the way to visit former
Middlebury roommate Fred Shepardson in
Portola Valley.” * Nancy Heller has “continued
doing Israeli and Balkan folk dancing, which I’ve
been performing off and on since age 12. For 14
years I was in a DC-based Spanish dance perform¬
ing group (flamenco, some Spanish classical stuff,
and lots of folk dances from all regions of Spain). I
teach Spanish dance occasionally at the Univ. of the
Arts in Philadelphia, where my ‘real’job is doing art
history. I still write lots of dance and visual arts
reviews for various newspapers and magazines. In
the last 10 years, I’ve been trying to bring together
art and Spanish dance by giving lectLires and writ¬
ing articles about visual representations of Spanish
dance (by Manet, Sargent, Matisse, et al), interpret¬
ed from the point of view of‘performance prac¬
tice’—a phrase I’ve only just learned to use. Oh,
and I recently joined‘Dancers Over 40.’” # Dick
and Meg Floyd McCann (margaretmccann@
worldnet.att.net) are still living in NC, but enjoy
summer vacations at their cabin in Maine. Last
summer Meg and Beth Prasse Hassinger met up
for a day hike in the White Mountains. Beth, as
well as Dick’s sister, Mary McCann-Baker ’77, were
planning to canoe the Allagash together with Dick
and Meg this summer. Dick is chief of vascular
surgery at I )uke Univ. Medical Center. As an
escape from the beeper, he likes to fly small planes
(currently a Bonanza). Meg does part-time consult-
6 5
Fall
Midd Connection
Kate Mead ’70, Jim Davis ’81, Woody Jackson
’70, Rip Mason ’73, and Bruce Willard ’77 at
Woody’s California exhibit (see 1970 column)
ing work in epidemiology, specializing in research
on women’s and children’s health issues. Her most
exciting project involved a trip to Vietnam last
summer, which began with tracing a map of the
country to show the provinces where the study
would be conducted—recalling Middlebury car¬
tography classes in the pre-computerized mapping
era. She is also active on various community gov¬
erning boards (church, local soup kitchen, and pre¬
viously at the childrens school).“Son Joshua is a
sophomore at East Chapel Hill High School, with
ambitions to play basketball at a small college.
Maybe Middlebury? Daughter Jennifer is a junior
at Carleton College in MN. Last summer she
worked at a Girl Scout camp in WI with the
daughter of Larry and Leslie Boyle ’71 Shipps.
They discovered their common Middlebury her¬
itage when Larry’s daughter commented on Jen’s
Ben and Jerry’s bandanna, saying that her dad went
to college with the guy who designed those cows!”
♦ And speaking of the guy who designed those
cows, Woody Jackson presented more than 90
watercolors from CA,VT, and NM to benefit the
Dream Foundation (formerly Dalmation Dreams), a
nonprofit organization dedicated to enhance the
quality of life for individuals and families battling
terminal illnesses. Woody has intensified his color
palette and reflects more architecture in his subject
matter, including the Santa Barbara Mission. Bruce
Willard ’ll opened up his offices at the Territory
Ahead in Santa Barbara for the exhibit. Others cel-
ebradng the opening of the exhibit on March 12
(see photo) were Kate Mead. Jim Davis ’81, Rip
Mason 73, and Bruce Willard 77.
71
Class Secretaries: Dr. Susan R. Thornton
(thornton@pronetisp.net), 22 Vincent St.,
Binghamton, NY 13905; and Mr. Barton
M. Hall (barth@ivebseif.net), 333
Michigan St., Lawrence, KS 66044
Deborah Bailey has been elected to the board of
trustees of the Westfield (NJ) Adult School Assoc.
From 1971 to 1989, she was employed by the State
of Lower Saxony, Germany, to teach English as a
foreign language in the German public school sys¬
tem. Since returning to Westfield, she has volun¬
teered with the Miller-Cory Museum, the histori¬
cal society, the Day Care Auxiliary, and Mobile
Meals. # Gail Stevenson (stevens@
champlain.edu) writes: “A year ago, I moved to
Burlington, VT, to become director of international
programs at Champlain College. Although my pro¬
fessional focus has been on building links with the
countries of the former Soviet Union in recent
years, my job at Champlain entails working with
new areas of the world, such as Dubai, where I
even got to ride a camel in April! My daughter,
Marina, starts second grade in the fall.” * Topsham,
ME, artist Natasha Kempers-Cullen created her
largest work so far for the Maine Fabric and Fiber
Arts Festival last spring at the Pordand (ME)
Museum of Art, Brunswick. Measuring 150 inches
square, her “Syncopated Harmonies” was made of
strips of hand-painted fabric which she tore apart
and then wove together. Made of 21 panels, each
was loosely made like a quilt and stretched over a
wood frame. Covering nearly all of one wall in the
Great Hall, her work combines her love of painting
and printmaking and fiber. # Peter Wood
(pwwood49@hotmail.com) sends an update from
Yarmouth, ME: “My wife, Ellen, and I continue to
enjoy ME, biking and sea kayaking. Last winter we
scuba-dived in Palau and the year before in Papua
New Guinea. Later this summer we’re spending 10
days in northern Scotland, Cape ofWrath to John
O’Groats, for my 50th birthday.”
Class Secretaries: Jennifer Hamlin
Church (jhchurch@sienahts.edu), 11151
Summefield Rd., Petersburg, MI 49270;
and Judy Wingham (jwingham@
home.com), 417 Guildwood Pkwy.,West Hill, Ontario
M1E 1R3, Canada.
Sixteen photographs by Jack Montgomery were
exhibited at the Maine Governor’s State House
Gallery from April through June. “Soul Survivors:
Legacy of the Holocaust” depicted Holocaust sur¬
vivors who are living and working in Maine. “In
my view,” Jack reports, “the goal of portraiture is to
capture something of the spirit that dwells beneath
skin. A successful portrait reflects a collaboration
between the subject and the photographer, a col¬
laboration born of mutual trust and respect. I am
very grateful to the individuals whose pictures you
see here for their trust, and I am honored to have
had the chance to photograph them.” Jack and wife
Elisabeth (Ritchie) 72 live in South Freeport, ME.
# Ellen Mercer Fallon of the law firm Langrock,
Sperry Sc Wool in Middlebury, was recently elected
a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, “an
honorary organization of practicing attorneys,
judges, and law teachers whose professional, public,
and private careers have demonstrated outstanding
dedication to the welfare of their communities and
to the highest principles of the legal profession.” *
Janies Purnell has joined the Rockville (CT)
Public Library’s board of trustees. A Vernon lawyer,
he is regional information manager for Lexis-
Nexis, an online database. * Martha Sosman,
who studies piano with Sally Pinkas at the Longy
School of Music in Cambridge, has performed in a
number of solo recitals and concerts. Martha prac¬
ticed law in Boston until 1993, when she was
appointed a Justice of the Superior Court of the
Commonwealth of MA.
Class Secretary: Robert E. Buxbaum
(rbuxfree@aol.com), 35W. 92nd St.,
#6E, New York, NY 10025.
This spring and summer brought news of joyous
new births, of the sad and too-early passing of a
classmate, and of many life events in between. *
John Akers reported the birth of son Isaias
Emiliano on Tuesday, April 13—the equivalent of
Friday the 13th in the Hispanic world. # Inspired
by the sight of infants amoung the crowd at our
25th Reunion, Karen and Bruce Lauterwasser
added Hannah Rose to their family on April 15,
joining Steven (9), Clara (6), and Gregory (3).
Bruce has passed the 20-year mark at Raytheon,
while Karen teaches CPR and lifesaving for
Winchester Hospital’s Community Health Institute.
They see Frank and Franci Vinal Farnsworth
and Bob McGirr from time to time, and were
delighted to see John Wilson Whitewolf at
reunion after a number of years. * Jamien
Morehouse's death on May 3, following a gallant
struggle with cancer, and the remarkable Web site
on which her family shared and continues to share
the process of her dying, brought many classmates
in contact for the first time in years. Lindy
Osterland Sargent, Jamien’s good friend, speaks
for many of us: “I learned so much from James—in
college, in life after college, in sickness, and in
death. I think first of her great sense of humor and
of story. We had so many, many laughs throughout
these years! And I can still hear them and they give
me smiles and comfort. Her spirit definitely lives
on in all she knew and even in those she didn’t. My
book group up here in northern VT knows her
well, for example. I loved the Web site because it
helped me keep in daily spiritual touch (an amaz¬
ing capacity for a technological invention!) in times
when I couldn’t be on the phone with her; it also
gave me wonderful connections with lots of other
friends. It was incredible to hear more wonderful
Jamien stories at the memorial service. The last
month and a half of her life was emotionally rich
for me, sharing this ‘passing on’ experience with a
good friend, who was becoming ever larger than
life. It was another of Jamie’s gifts. What else can I
say? I wish she were still around so I could contin¬
ue to visit with her, talk on the phone, write letters,
and laugh. My heart goes out to all who knew her,
especially her men and boys.” # In 1994, at age 42,
Sage Russell quit her Middlebury Alumni Office
job and went off to Emory Law School in Atlanta,
as one of the oldest students in her class. “There
were some hard parts, but going to law school in
my middle years was a wonderfully rejuvenating
experience. My life was badly in need of shaking
up and certainly got it. After graduating in 1997,1
was lucky enough to get exactly the kind of job I
went to law school for, which (not coincidentally)
does not entail the actual practice of law. I am
doing international human rights work in the
Science and Human Rights Program at the
American Assoc, for the Advancement of Science.”
For Sage, Jamien’s death was a powerful reminder
of missed opportunities to connect that so many of
us experienced in our college years. Sage is chang¬
ing that and has recently seen Guy Kettelhack.
Larry Novins. Scott Helmers. Keith Oberg.
and our congressman. Frank Pallone. While on
vacation this summer, she also spent a couple of
days visiting Jay Aronson. # Jonathan and
Priscilla Stone Stevens have reached a watershed
shared by many classmates. They became empty
nesters this fall when son Clift' entered Trinity
College in Hartford. With daughter Kate a senior at
Midd, they get to see a lot of Midd kids. Priscilla is
doing a lot of writing and editing and would love
to see Midd friends. * Three recent bomb threats
Jan Crean,Alan Lev)’, and Sheila Bamford Pulver,
all ’74, at Reunion ’99 (see 1974 column)
66 Middlebury Magazine
VERMONT HOUSEWIFE CARDS
C ORRECTION: Join the Art Card Club of Nancy
Smith Detra ’76 and get a six-pack of cards
for $14. Each season (Feb., May, Aug., Nov.)
you’ll receive six cards and envelopes with an invoice and
return address sticker. Join the club:Vermont Housewife
Cards, 1118 Green River Road, Guilford,Vermont 05301.
in her son’s junior high led Catherine Norton
Scherer to get involved with other parents, listen¬
ing to many points of view and helping to pull
people together. Catherine’s dad is dealing with
prostate cancer and she finds it a privilege to be a
part of his process and is grateful for the time they
have together to celebrate his life. John and
Catherine took children Asa and Emma on their
first canoe camping trip to the MN boundary
waters in August. # Returning to DC from a fam¬
ily reunion in the Adirondacks, Jay Aronson also
reported her great 36-hour visit with Sage
Russell. She adds,“It does feel like e-mail/the net
is keeping our connections stronger. Bob Dean
keeps me chuckling across the miles with frequent
jokes, a lift on a dark day.” # Sue Meyer Lundy
reports that daughter Jamien got her name in part
because she liked it when she saw it in New Faces
back in 1969! (Also, Sue’s dad is named James.) Her
Jamien is a junior at UVM. Son Eric graduated
from Colchester High School and, taking after his
dad, is an avid ski racer. Steve ’72 still builds won¬
derful homes. Sue is an RN in ortho-neuro rehab,
while pursuing the family nurse practitioner pro¬
gram. * In addidon to her normal workload as a
full-rime prof, at Pace Univ., Kathy Frazer
Winsted recently coached two soccer teams and
one softball team, served as division softball com¬
missioner, ran a Daisy troop and a Brownie troop,
helped with Cub Scouts, and taught Sunday
School. During summer, Kathy worked on research
while the kids were in summer camps. Summer
also included a trip to Myrtle Beach, a couple of
weeks on the Raquette River in upstate NY, and a
conference in San Francisco. Kathy reports that she
is up for tenure this fall. * In Arlington,VA, Keith
Obcrg has taken a leave of absence from the gov¬
ernment, while continuing to work for not-for-
profit Pedals for Progress. (Check out www.p4p.org
for more information on this fun project.) Leave
also allows time to coach daughter Kate’s softball
team and son Alex’s soccer team (the latter in spite
of having never played a minute of organized soc¬
cer in his life). Keith, wife Jessica Mott, Kate, and
Alex alternate New England hiking vacations with
explorations of nature out west. * Peter Hamlin
and wife Chris Robbins have moved to St. Paul,
taking advantage of Peter’s sabbatical “to live the
city life for a year.” Chris hopes to do some land-
use and environmental work, research and writing.
Peter’s time is filled with many composition pro¬
jects, including a particularly exciting one: “I’m
writing a piece for Middlebury’s 200th anniversary,
to be performed in November 2000. Emory
Fanning will be playing organ, and the College
Choir will join the Middlebury Community
Chorus and the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble. The
project includes a number of residency visits to
Middlebury. * Bill (originally 70) and Melinda
Held Brunger both enjoyed reunion at
Middlebury, getting together with friends like Ken
and Carolyn Leggett Perine. Melinda found she
had a different appreciation of Middlebury 25 years
out and felt very comfortable with the people she
went to school with—many of whom she didn’t
know well when she was there! Thirteen-year resi¬
dents of Houston, the Brungers enjoy the arts and
international influences (including food). Bill, who
does revenue management at Continental Airlines,
ran in his first marathon this year in Fort Worth.
Melinda became a partner this year at Andrews &
Kurth L.L.P, and son Chris is a senior at Pitzer
College in Claremont, CA. # Greg Greenwood,
wife Christie, and their three daughters (9,11, and
13) recently visited friends and family in France
and Switzerland. They skied for a few days and
then spent a week at a farmhouse in Tuscany. Back
in CA, they embarked in June on an epic journey
through central California in a rented motor home.
This trip included a set of French grandparents and
an Italian watercolor painter whom they had met
in Siena. In August, a visiting French cousin
accompanied them to a family reunion in Jackson
Hole. * Sallie Sprague was in Australia in sum¬
mer 1998; this summer she traveled east to cele¬
brate her parents’ 50th anniversary. She had break¬
fast and caught up on news with Jenny Potter
Scheu. Sallie is still doing photography and house¬
sitting by a lake in the NW corner ofWA state. #
Rachel Brunstetter Collins, who teaches water-
color at the Art League of Northern VA, began
entering national watercolor shows this year,
including Watercolor USA, Midwestern Watercolor
Show, and the Rocky Mountain Witercolor Show.
As chair of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of
Mount Vernon, VA, Rachel reports: “During the last
two years I learned a great deal about social services
when the Baha’i community here settled a six-
member family of Iranian Baha’i refugees fleeing
persecution in Iran. I could write a book on state
and local social welfare policies and bureaucracy.
The family is now settled, the children are making
a success in school, and the parents both have pay¬
ing jobs that support them.” # Walter Newman
reported from his room in Hepburn, as a summer
student at the Middlebury Spanish School. He
plans to use Spanish for projects in paper conserva¬
tion, working with Cuban, Puerto Rican, and
Chilean conservators. He reported that he was
finally learning his way around Starr Library, the
second rime around. It was interesting to see how
high-tech student life has become—phones, voice
mail, and Internet connections in every dorm
room, and using his Midd Card with a computer
chip to enter Proctor, do laundry, and buy books
and Crest Room snacks. # After receiving her
brown belt inTae Kwon Do in June. Joan Molino
Mortensen began preparing to teach Taoism, Zen,
and the Art ofWar, which will deal with the history
of the martial arts. Her family vacationed on Cape
Cod. # Marte and Dag Berntsen have three off¬
spring involved in skiing, including daughter
Hedda, who is a senior at Middlebury. Hedda was
“summer skiing at a glacier near Stryn in our west¬
ern mountains with Middlebury student friend
Jessica Reigle ‘00.” Dag teaches and runs the coun¬
seling program at a junior high school. He and a
former student are “testing an innovation for soccer
that assures more accurate offside decisions. The
system is called Offside Marker and consists of
beams of lights situated on the opposite side of the
assistant referee’s position.” Dag sends best wishes to
everyone and would like Theo Slater to write to
him. # Bob Dean, part owner of a small compa¬
ny, reports that his company has been bought by a
slightly larger company: “It was nice to have the
affirmation of someone thinking we had created a
company of value. The integration of the two com¬
panies has had a few rough spots, but has gone rea¬
sonably well.” Son Mark is a sophomore at Harvey
Mudd College in Claremont, CA. Daughter Katie,
a high school student, plays soccer and tennis. Bob’s
wife, Marcia, is enjoying consulting work.
Class Secretaries: Greg Dennis (greg
denis@aol.com), 1053 Hermes Ave.,
Encinitas, CA 92024; and Barry
Schultz King (kinglet@together.net),
P.O. Box 11, Ripton, VT 05166.
What a wonderful reunion weekend! One hundred
seventeen members of our class, with many spouses
and children, gathered for a warm, sunny (can this
be Vermont?) weekend at the “new” New Dorms.
(The same ones we called the New Dorms, but
you wouldn’t recognize them as such these days!)
Among the most interesting and moving events at
reunion: the Friday morning panel discussion, “The
Roads We’ve Taken: A Class Conversation,” and the
Saturday morning memorial service for deceased
classmates.The Friday discussion, moderated by
Mark Patinkin, featured a panel of Andy Gross,
Dan Flanagan, Crystal Dornhoefer Gromer,
Salley Heyward Knight, and Andy Jackson.
Thanks to Mark’s nice touch as a moderator and a
widely shared feeling of openness, many of the 70-
plus classmates who attended also offered com¬
ments and reflections. There were some good
laughs and a few tears, as well. Crystal
Dornhoefer Gromer organized the Saturday
morning service in memory of Kent Nahm, Sam
Shurgin, Hugh Davey, Mark Gromer, Nibs
Nelson, Jim Cook, Rick Swacus, Gerry
Francoeur, Pat Cadden Sherman, Steve Avey,
Frank Eppich. and Todd Lovington. Led by the
Rev. Mary Lee-Clark (who also preached the ser¬
mon at Sunday morning services), the service
opened with music provided by Gretchen
Amussen,Jane McGill Cooke, and Jane
Peatling. Paul Phillips closed the service with a
moving rendition of “Old Friends,” which he sang
and played on guitar. Friday afternoon was devoted
to golf, tennis, a canoe trip on Otter Creek, and a
hike up Snake Mountain. It was a beautiful day,
perfect for our needs. Dave Minot’s son, Joshua
(now 5, about 2 weeks of age at our last reunion!),
described the hike this way:“It was a very long
hike and we saw a chipmunk on the way. At the
top, there was a foundation of a very old house
with metal and pipes. We saw turkey vultures and
hawks. We also saw the lake and the mountains. It
was lots and lots of fun.” Friday evening found us
dining al fresco in the company of many of our
former professors and faculty mentors. Following
that, Andy Jackson gave a truly memorable swing
dance lesson! Saturday morning’s memorial service
was followed by the traditional class photo and then
s
5
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Fall 67
the march up the hill for Alumni Convocation in
Mead Chapel. A solid contingent participated in
the 5K run that afternoon and that evening we met
on the terrace outside Ross (a new part of the
“New Dorms”) for drinks and socializing, followed
by dinner in Ross. Most folks headed outside after
dinner to continue their conversations, or went off
to one of several dances being offered around the
campus. Sunday morning included a chapel service
and a sumptuous and scrumptious brunch at
President McCardelTs house. Throughout the
morning, there were lingering farewells and regrets
at not having had more time together, plus promis¬
es to keep in touch more regularly. It was interest¬
ing for me to reflect that I (Barry Schultz King)
had made nearly identical good-byes just two doors
further south on South Street 25 years earlier.
Quite a few of our classmates returned to
Middlebury for this reunion for the first time in 25
years, including three who graciously agreed to
reflect on why they came back, their impressions of
the College and our reunion, and special places
they revisited. (1) Randy Houser: “I realized how
long it had been since I’d been back and I wanted
to see the people, so I got on a plane and came to
the 25th. I visited Sig Ep, saw a cast bronze memo¬
rial to the house, went fishing in the East
Middlebury River, climbed down to the canyon,
and swam in the cold water. Drove around from
Ripton to Lincoln, and sat on the patio at Proctor.
I had a great time and I realized that I should have
been back for others. I feel that Middlebury has
changed. I was quite surprised to find a fully func¬
tioning bar in the old gym building, and I would
not be surprised to hear of a Starbucks somewhere
hidden in the bottom of the library. Proctor even
has gourmet coffee. Some of this must help explain
the current tuition, or is a reflection of current stu¬
dent attitudes. Somehow I feel our college experi¬
ence was more spartan, although relative to the
average 18- to 21-year-old Americans of our time,
we had it easy too” (2) Roger Bowman: “My first
adult friendships were made at Middlebury, and I
shared a lot of important experiences with those
friends. The two things that had kept me from
returning to Middlebury earlier were the distance
from my new homes and the apprehension that I
wouldn’t remember anyone—or they me. When
the 25th Reunion found me living in DC, I
thought it would be a great chance to put those
apprehensions aside and try to reestablish some old
ties. It was better than expected. It was easier to re¬
connect with people after 25 years than I’d feared.
Peter Harris and I made a pilgrimage to return to
the cliffs at Chapel Pond in the Adirondacks. It was
a great day in a great place with a great friend. We
had more trouble finding the cliff (did they move
it?) than we did climbing the slabs to the summit. I
also made a solo pilgrimage to the roof of SDU-C,
a favorite vantage point for watching sunsets over
the Adirondacks. Yes, the new science building does
block the view west!” (3) Carol Hatch
Hutchinson: “Returning to Middlebury for the
first time in 25 years, I wasn’t sure if I would feel
like I belonged since I hadn’t been in touch with
anyone from the Class of ’74 in all that time. I was
motivated to make the trip by reading stories in the
reunion yearbook and relating strongly to many
classmates. I had a series of vivid dreams about the
place and a need to connect to the landscape.
Happily, I felt very welcomed by classmates, by the
staff/college, and by Vermont—great weather! I was
surprised to find that everyone looked the same,
only better and more interesting to me. Highlights:
Friday morning class conversation (“The Roads
We’ve Taken”) set the tone for open and heartfelt
connections throughout the weekend. I made new
friends with several people I hardly knew at all in
’74. The hike up, and view from, Snake Mountain
was another treat. (I was so happy there were other
activities besides cocktails and fund-raising!) The
best was singing in the choir directed by Emory
Fanning (something I had regretted not doing as an
undergrad). Blending voices with alums, feeling our
combined talents, strength, and harmony, was an
especially moving and healing experience for me
that I will not soon forget.” Obviously, not every¬
one made it to reunion. Some of our classmates
said they had hoped to see Stephanie Palmer,
Sukai Prom-Jackson, Shylaja Paulose Rankin,
Lenwood Cross, Julia Lara, Mary-Louise
Romney-Schaab, Audrey Tinsley, Calvin
Johnson, Stephanie Bowens, and James
Williams. Hope you will all check in and send us
your news. And that goes for everyone else as well!
We missed you. Please get in touch with us, at the
addresses listed at the top of this column. The way
time is flying by, our next reunion seems like it’s
just around the corner.The 25th was so wonderful,
that you won’t want to miss the 30th! Although the
bulk of the credit for such a great weekend goes to
the College (especially Glenna Emilo and her
excellent staff), special thanks are also due to Tim
Etchells, Sheila Bamford Pulver, and the rest of
the Yearbook Committee, to our reunion social
chairs Kate Peterson Burr and Muddy Waters
and their committee, and to the Reunion Gift
Committee and its chairs, Charlie Jackson and
Nancy Kolligian. And thanks to all who partici¬
pated. That’s what really made it a wonderful event!
Class Secretaries: Bccca Gustafson
Brown (bbrown@casys.com), 1 Roseland
Rd., Worcester ; MA 01609, and Tony
MacDonald (niacennnert@aol.com), 150
12th St., NE, Washington, DC 20002.
Cristine Cioffi is the 1999 Businesswoman of
the Year, chosen by the Schenectady Business &
Professional Women’s Club. A resident of
Niskayuna, NY, Christine is president of Carpenter
&c Cioffi Attorneys & Counselors at Law. # David
Wolk, superintendent of the Rutland (VT) City
Schools, has been named to the UVM board of
trustees. As director ofVermont LEAD Project at
Castleton State College, David developed programs
to help education administrators succeed. He also
held the post of chief of policy for Gov. Howard
Dean, who reports that David “has been innovative,
opening the door to public school choice among
the county’s high schools. And he has been deter¬
mined, creating programs designed to keep poten¬
tial dropouts in school.” David and wife Diane live
in Mendon,VT. # In 1976, Max Eaton founded
Otter Creek Awnings with “two sawhorses, a sheet
of plywood, and a couple of old sewing machines.”
Last February,an international company (with SI.5
billion in annual sales) bought the company. Max
reports that the sale to Durasol Systems Inc. will
preserve much of the company’s autonomy and all
of its 40 employees. Otter Creek will also continue
to manufacture and market its products under its
own trade name and its headquarters will remain
on Exchange Street in Middlebury. “What we do
will remain the same,” he says. “We’re just going to
do a whole lot more of it.” * Lisa Phillips, who
has been organizing art exhibits at the Whitney
since 1977, is now the director at the New
Museum of Contemporary Art in SoHo. According
to the New York Times, Lisa “is known within the art
world for her intelligence, her passion for contem¬
porary art in all it manifestations—she curated
more than 25 shows at the Whitney—and her keen
eye for spotting emerging talent.” Located at 583
Broadway, Lisa’s aspiration is “to make sure the
New Museum is a must-see stop on anyone’s itin¬
erary when in New York.” * Manchester, NH, res¬
ident Martha Van Oot Gordon has been selected
to mediate disputes and arbitrate the dissolution of
the 1994 merger of Elliot Hospital and Catholic
Medical Center. Martha was most recently a direc¬
tor of Kinder, Mosseau and Gordon.
76
Class Secretaries: Marion Adler (madler
@hhj.com), 530 N. Linden, Oak Park,
IL 60302;Jennifer Cogswell (jencogsat6
@aol.com), 6 Overlook Rd., Waltham,
MA 02154; and John M. Henderson (hendersonjm
@cdm.com), 131 Martin Rd., Concord, MA 01742.
JefFrey Russian is the newly named chief plan¬
ning and budget officer for the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, where he has served in various
capacities since 1991. * Gary Moreau joined the
Libbey board of directors in 1996, a few months
after he left Oneida to become CEO of toy train
company Lionel L.L.C. Libbey has offered to buy
Oneida and, according to a recent newspaper story,
Gary “believes the companies would benefit from a
merger because both are trying to become one-
stop tabletop suppliers to retailers and food service
establishments.” * Ed Woodson, a middle school
teacher at Norfolk Academy in VA, moderated a
community roundtable discussion at Middlebury
during the 1999 Peace Symposium last April.The
Symposium topic—“Speaking of Race”—featured
several guest orators, panel discussions, and films. *
In January of 1999. Rick Ridder was named
International Political Consultant of the Year by the
American Assoc, of Political Consultants. The polit¬
ical consultant industry’s equivalent to the Oscars,
the award went to Rick for his work in consulting
on six successful Heads of State campaigns in the
last six years, and for his efforts as president of the
International Assoc, of Political Consultants. Rick
and wife Joannie, who is also his business partner,
have three kids. They enjoy living and skiing in
CO, where they live down the street from Jill
Cowperthwaite. # While in Boston and between
depositions for a federal court case involving the
cleanup of a major offshore hazardous waste site in
CA, Chris Mead dropped in for a visit with Susan
and Jack Henderson and family—Sarabeth (11),
J.B. (9),James (3)—in Concord, MA. Chris is the
sole practicing lawyer in the family, now that wife
Gail Robinson Mead has retired from her law
practice to become a full-time mom for Helen (9)
and twins Cooper and Carson (6). Chris reported
that the “left coast Midd Kidds '- Bill Grant,
Mark Gordon, Ely and Jill Robinson Haizlip,
Rich Hodges, Chandler Lee, Larry Moulton,
Halsted Wheeler, etc.—are all still living and
working in or around San Francisco and doing
great! Chris also quelled the spurious and unfound¬
ed rumors that Bob Pender had joined the federal
witness program and is in fact a partner in a DC
area law firm and happily living in Falls Church,
VA, with his wife and three daughters. * Jennifer
Cogswell was busy this summer, working on two
movies. For April V (or April Five), she was “locking
lighthouses on Cape Cod for an August shoot”
(Surf N’Turf Films, NYC) and she was locations
scout and manager for The Blue Diner, which was
being shot in Boston. On June 4, she was logistics
coordinator for Hillary Clinton’s visit to announce
68 Middlebury Magazine
PROFILE
NOT SO LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER
F ollow the
Tennessee River
to where it bends
around the verdant foothills
of the Appalachian Ridge,
splitting the city of
Chattanooga in two, and
you'll find yourself in
Lookouts country Lookouts
as in: home runs, summer
nights, hot dogs, and two
camels named Larry and
Lumpy (more on that later).
In 1995, J. Frank Burke
’83 became part owner of
one of the oldest teams in
baseball, the Chattanooga
Lookouts. As president and
hands-on owner, Burke gets
to boast of an office inside a
ballpark, where he helps run
the day-to-day operations of
this minor league, double A
team, which is affiliated with
the Cincinnati Reds.Burkes
somewhat dodgy experience
as pitcher for the Middlebury
baseball team (“I gave away a
lot of really long home
runs”) have been part of a
lifetime as a baseball fan.
While attending Harvard
Business School, Burke and
his father attempted to buy a*
farm team near their family
home in Maine. Even
though that didn’t pan out,
the father and son had
caught a bug. WluleLontin-
uing to look for another ball
club to purchase, Burke and
his partner Charlie Eshbach
(who is the general manager
of the Lookouts sister team
in Portland, Maine) came
across the Lookouts and
thought, “The team has a lot
of potential; it’s in a nice
•/community.” Soon after, the
Burke family—wife Susan
(Meier) ’82 and their three
children^inoved south to
become a part of the
Lookouts team.
During his time with the
Lookouts, it lias been Burke’s
goal to make a visit to his
ballpark a memorable experi¬
ence. First there are the
camels. “When I first got
here, we wanted to do some¬
thing that would wake peo¬
ple up and let them know
that there were new people
here. So I leased two camels
for the summer—Larry and
Lumpy. We put them m cen¬
ter field during the games,
wearing custom-made hel¬
mets” The camels proved
such a success that Burke
bought them at the end of
the season.
Such zany promotional
tacticsJare what define the
colorful nature of minor
league baseball, which is
increasingly attracting larger
numbers of people. Also
attractive are the $4 tickets,
smaller ballparks, and players
willing to give a kid an
autograph after the game,
preferable to the big money,
hardball attitudes of the
major league. Owners like
Burke are in tune with
what the community wants.
“I try not to do anything"'
that I would be embarrassed
for my parents and kids to
see. We do try and. provide
affordable entertainment for
the entire family.”
The Lookouts front office
is also the home of Brad
Smith '95, former shortstop
for the Middlebury baseball
team. He happened across an
opening with the Lookouts
team while at the career cen¬
ter on campus.
I “I sent my resume to
Frank and he hired me over
the phone; my glamourous
tide was concessions intern.”
But Smith showed his mettle
grilling hot frogs and manag¬
ing condiments and has
worked his way up to the
more impressive title of
director of public and media
relations, as well as business
manager. Part of Smiths job
is to run the press box during
home games, arid handle
interviews with the players.
He’s also in charge of music,
"I am the booking agent for
National Anthem singers. If
someone Is interested in
singing, they can come down
and I bring them out on the '
field for their audition. I’ve
only had to turn down one
person, because they didn’t
know the words.”
There is one singer who
makes an appearance every
year—the Orange Yodeler.
Known for donning
• Tennessee Football orange,
the Yodeler warbles the “Star
Spangled Anthem” in, what
Smith describes as a “Tiny
Tim-esque manner.”
"He’s become a fixture
around town but we try and
limit him to singing only
once a season, and we try and
keep him away from our
busy Friday and Saturday
nights.”
Well, if the Orange
Yodeler is lucky, he might get
a chance to sing in the
Lookout’s new stadium,
which is presently being built
in downtown Chattanooga
and will be the team’s home
come next season. With the
help of community support,
private funding, and a record-
breaking season ticket drive,
Burke and his staff will be
moving into what he calls,
“the prettiest ballpark in
minor league baseball.”The
1 ^6,000-seat stadium on a hill
might not have been possible
without Burke’s dedication to
keep his team a success. He
even made an infomercial:
tk There is nothing quite like
the experience of seeing an
infomercial you’ve made run¬
ning,back to back with the
psychic hotline. I’m just glad
that the tliigh master wasn’t
on afterward. ”
—Caroline Fcnncssy ’95
a new endowment find for City Year, “a nonprofit
company with a Corps of kids 17-23 who serve
their community for a year for a small stipend
before going to college." When Hilary arrived at
Faneuil Hall, Jen was “in charge of the entire loca¬
tion, press corps positions, police backup, Secret
Service briefing, motorcade route, public crowd
control, etc. etc. Fun gig to work on. White House
Advance Team interesting and it was fun to meet
her." When Jen did event coordinating for a June
17 fund-raiser, again for City Year, Rebecca
Kellogg and her husband, Kevin Dennis, were on
the host committee. “It was fun to see them and
meet their kids, who helped set up this dinner and
program for 525 people under a tent at a private
home in Chestnut Hill."
Class Secretaries: Virginia L.Jones
(giniajo@aol.com), 250 County St.,
Taunton, MA 02780; and Katie Lange
Dolan (katie-dolan@jmsn.coni), 4 Beach
Avc., Larclnnont, NY 10538.
77
Alex Bernstein has been marveling lately at mod¬
ern technology. She underwent LASIK treatment
F A l L 6
PROFILE
A TASTY LIFE ON THE STREETS
IV# HEN THEY WERE KIDS,
\ J David (Spike) Gjerde
w w ’85 and his brother
Charlie loved to play at owning a
restaurant. Today, they are still playing,
but its no longer make-believe.The
two brothers recently opened their
fourth restaurant in Baltimore, eight
years after their first venture into the
restaurant business with a bistro called
Spike and Charlies.
Spike and Charlie are unusual for
several reasons, one of them being the
profound affection they have for one
another, despite their major differences
of personality. Spike is a Midd alum
and graduated with a Chinese and phi¬
losophy degree, while Charlie went to
the University of Vermont and gradu¬
ated in business. Spike is the artistic
genius in a chefs hat; Charlie manages
the financial labyrinth that the restau¬
rant business entails. As a team, the two
are restaurant magicians.
Spike says lus desire to be involved in
the food industry was awakened while at
Middlebury when he volunteered at The
Knave of Hearts, a bakery that used to
reside in Frog Hollow. “The place was
magical,” he says.
After his time at Middlebury, Spike
went on to work in various restaurants and
patisseries, until he decided that he wanted
to open his own business. At the same
time, Charlie had tired of managing other
peoples businesses and wanted to try his
hand at running his own.Their parents,
David and Alice Gjerde, helped them come
up with the initial $50,000 needed to start
the bistro; the investment has more than
paid off.
The newest venture, a restaurant called
the Joy America Cafes is located right in
the heart of things. “We re in a really excit¬
ing part of the city—the Inner Harbor,”
Spike explains. Along with their newest
acquisition and their original restaurant, the
two run a casual neighborhood cafe and a
seafood restaurant called The Atlantic,
located in Canton, a working class area
that is ill the midst of massive redevel¬
opment.
“The small cafe atmosphere reminds
me of the lining services situation at
Middlebury.You have a captive audi¬
ence, perhaps, but that means more per¬
sonal contact and more personal
demands. Like, ‘it would be great if you
had soy milk’ and you know you’ll see
that person again, so you’d better have
soy milk for them the next time they
come in.”
Today, Spike and Charlie are happy
about where they’ve come, and even
happier that they are able to work
together, even if Spike primarily inhabits
the kitchen, and Charlie the office.
“There are a lot of stresses in the restau¬
rant business,” says Charlie. “Without
that [brotherly] connection, I don’t
know how we would hold it together.”
—Courtney Palmbush ’00
to correct her nearsightedness and is now free of
glasses. She says it’s wondrous to be able to enjoy
the Hawaiian beaches and see for miles, even when
she’s in the water or walking in the rain. #
George Carr sees in a different way: with his art.
Most recendy, he’s been working on commissions
for Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, based
on his larger-than-life sculpture of female figures
symbolizing a woman’s lifespan. He has also been
working on a 75,000-pound wall sculpture (an
amazing 15 by 50 feet!) for the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington, DC. Journey Films is following the
story of the sculpture for WNET in New York,
which plans to show the documentary on public
television next spring. ♦ Finally, Jay Heinrichs
sees a different part of the country these days. He
left U.S. Airways Attache magazine and New
Hampshire, packing up the family and moving to
Santa Fe (12 Cerrado Dr., Santa Fe, NM 87505;
jheinrichs@outsidemag.com), to take on new chal¬
lenges as deputy editor of Outside , a national maga¬
zine for active, educated adults who love the out¬
doors and are concerned about its preservation. Jay
will, once again, be working on an award-winning
team; the magazine has won an unprecedented
three National Magazine Awards in a row for gen¬
eral excellence, which he describes as “the Oscar
for Best Pictures of the industry.” While he misses
the Northeast, he has a beautiful house facing the
Jemez mountains and he finds “the skies mesmeriz¬
ing, with rainbows every other day, clouds that
seem very close—which they are, since were at
7,000 feet.” He hikes through terrain “ranging from
stark desert to lush river valleys to red rock canyon-
land to Vermont-like pine forests above 10,000
feet.” # And now it’s your turn. How do you see
the world these days? Please drop Katie or Ginni a
note, preferably before the end of this millennium
(however you define it), and definitely before the
end of the next.
Class Secretaries: Michael Abend (mike-
abend@aol.com), 119 Maple St.,
Carlisle, MA 01741; David Jaffray
(dauidJaffray@%e1co.com), 18427
Heathcote Ln., Deephaven, MN 55391; Holly James
Kartna (hollyk@hendrie.com), Hawthorn Cres.,
Brampton, Ontario L6S 1B1, Canada; and Helen
Cooke Pyne (hcpwrite@aol.com), 69 Stern Ln.,
Atherton, CA 94027.
Marti Mayne gave a seminar last spring on the
ABCs of effective resume writing: “Don’t Sell
Yourself Short!” Marti has managed everything
from large hotel grand openings to events for USA
TODAY , ski areas, retail developers, and political
campaigns. Her firm, Maynely Marketing, offers
marketing programs for hospitality and retail clients
throughout the country. * Ellen Hall Adams
brought her family to the 59th Annual Sugar
Slalom at Stowe, a two-day family skiing competi¬
tion in early April. Competing in different classes in
the Sugar Slalom along with Ellen were husband
Michael, son Cameron Brooks, brother-in-law
Charlie, and niece Colby. Ellen told the Stowe
Reporter. “We thought it would be an opportunity
to get together and race. I wanted to beat my hus¬
band. He got me by five one-hundredths of a sec¬
ond.” Captain of the women’s ski team our senior
year, Ellen claimed that participating in the Sugar
Slalom was vastly different from racing on the
Middlebury College ski team in the mid-1970s
when it won the NCAA Championships for two
consecutive years. Unfortunately the race course
was hard and icy, due to a rainy day followed by a
frigid night. Ellen “stood in the starting gate think¬
ing, ‘What in the world am I doing?’ It was a hum¬
bling experience I’d have to say.” Sounds like a
good time was had by all—and niece Colby (10)
won the J3 women’s race.
Class Secretaries: Donna Brewer
MacKenna (dbmack@aol.com), 125
School St., South Hamilton, MA
01982; and Margaret A. Paine
(mapaine@christa.unh.edu), 35 Edgewood Rd.,
Durham, NH. 03824.
It may have rained on our graduation, but the
weather gods more than made up for that slight
with perfect weather for our 20th Reunion. Blue
sky days made for great exploring of all Midd s new
buildings, swimming at Lake Dunmore, and just
hanging out together. One hundred and ten class¬
mates made the trip—and with spouses, kids, and
friends, we numbered 253. It was great seeing old
friends and making new ones and discovering that
while much has changed, the essentials remain the
same. Dinner at President John McCardell s house
got rave reviews. That s our second reunion in a
row with the McCardells, so we hope this is
70 Middlebury Magazine
becoming a tradition! From dinner, we moved on
to dancing at Johnson to the music of Mango Jam.
As Perry Babcock reported, “Validating that we
are all still able to boogie was the highlight for me.
Pat Durkin still can’t dance, and Elibet (Moore
Chase) still has the best laugh. Mike Parker, alias
Roy, won the receding hairline contest, and Lisa
Salisbury had the best music!”We missed the peo¬
ple who didn’t come and hope you’ll make it to
the 25th. Sandra Buzz Buzby Whalen reminded
me that the women thought they’d aged better
than the men, but then this column is being writ¬
ten by women. So, men of ’79, get even and volun¬
teer to be class secretary! And speaking of Buzz, it’s
great to have her back east, now that she’s working
as a counselor and coaching women’s ice hockey at
St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH; her husband is
director of sales and marketing at the Manchester
Union Leader. She reports that son Casey (6) “can
make a science experiment out of anything. He’s
turned our dining room into a science lab.” *
Many people had not really been back to
Middlebury since graduation, including Nancy
Grant. Nancy lives in North Yarmouth, ME, with
her husband of almost 20(!) years, son Oscar (15),
and daughter Elise (13). She reports that, “contrary
to what most people say, parenting teenagers is
fun—most of the time.” Nancy has worked as tech¬
nology coordinator at Freeport High School for
seven years. “It is not at all related to my major, but
interesdng and always a challenge.” She spends a lot
of time carting kids around or watching their activ¬
ities, but says that since her children are older, she
has time to play in field and ice hockey leagues.
They all ski every chance they get, bike, and hike a
lot. Nancy invites people to look her up if they’re
in the area. * Jennifer Cross Peterson reminded
me that the 20th Reunion means that people half
our age are in college! And that a number of class¬
mates have children heading off to college next fall.
Jennifer lives in Weston, MA, with her husband,
daughter Heather (14), who’s into showjumping,
and Erik (11), who’s into computers, Nintendo, and
drawing. Jennifer’s business, School Seal, provides
promotional items to schools, mosdy prep schools
and colleges. “I prepared for this by earning a mas¬
ter’s degree in biology from Yale University!” She
ran into Sharon Flack Mussomeli about a week
after reunion. Sharon had flown in from Bahrain
and was heading up to Middlebury to attend the
Arabic summer school. * Mary Ann Preskul-
Ricca had a good excuse for not being there: she
and husband Joe Ricca welcomed son Joseph Peter
Ricca on April 27 in Shrewsbury, MA. Mary Ann
is on leave from her position as public affairs coor¬
dinator for the MA Assoc, of HMOs. * The Rev.
Mary Lee Krahn has been installed as pastor of
St. Mark Lutheran Church in Mayville, NY. She
has served as an assistant pastor of First Lutheran
Church in Jamestown, NY, an interim pastor for St.
Timothy Lutheran Church in Bemus Point and
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Jamestown. She
was also a pastoral care coordinator for Hospice of
Chautauqua County. Mary lives in Jamestown with
her two sons. * Chip and Heather Vuillet ’81
Lende finished fourth place over all out of 192
teams and first in their division (four-person mixed)
of the Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Relay
on the Haines Highway between Haines Junction,
Yukon Territory, and their home in Haines, AK.
Their team covered the scenic 160-mile course
through the world’s largest park in 7 hours and 53
minutes. Chip and Heather have been living in
Haines since 1983. Chip owns the town lumber
yard, has served on the city council for 10 years
and—when he’s not busy with his family—runs
marathons, fly fishes, skates, skis, and bikes. This
summer the Lendes adopted their fifth child, an
eight-year-old Bulgarian girl. Chip says anyone
who wants to ride in a great bike race should come
on up. And if you’re on an Alaskan Cruise, be sure
to stop in—his lumber yard (Lutak Lumber) is
right across the road from the tour ship dock. #
Our own Asa Phillips won reunion’s top award,
the Alumni Plaque, for outstanding service to
Middlebury. We all got to salute Asa by pounding
our Gamaliel Painter’s canes on the Mead Chapel
floor during Convocation. Middlebury has been
giving out canes at graduation for a number of
years and is now awarding them to alumni who
come back for reunion. Another incentive to come
back for the 25th! And all of us who were there for
the 20th look forward to seeing you then.
Class Secretaries: David and Laura
LaFeverAustin, 305 Swift St.,
S. Burlington, VT 05403.
The 40th birthday of Donnie Roach ’80 was a fine
occasion for a pig roast in Topsfield, MA, on June
20,1998, bringing together Andy Nestler, Craig
Franklin, Paul Scheufele, Donnie Roach, Sue
Follett Panella, Frank DeLuca, and Eric
Kemp. * Andrew McColough is now general
manager and VP of print media sales for
Adauction.corn’s new office in NYC. Andrew
launched and managed magazine and book divi¬
sions for Time Inc. Magazines for the last 10 years,
before which he held business manager positions
with Fortune and Life magazines. Most recently, he
was publisher ofTime Inc.’s This Old House
Books. * Kimberly Adams Klintworth loves
living in Salt Lake City, where she has co-anchored
the afternoon and evening news on Channel 4 for
11 years. She is very active in the community, her
primary commitment being to the YWCA and the
Battered Women’s Shelter, where she serves on the
board of directors. Kimberly has a daughter,
Katelyn (fifth grade) and a son,John (third grade);
husband Skip Klintworth has two high-school-age
daughters, Kelly and Brittany, who visit frequendy
from CA. As the longest-running anchor in
Channel 4’s history, Kimberly is in no hurry to step
down. She thinks that the next 10 years will reveal
how long women anchors stay on the air: “You can
look great and be 50.1 can think of a lot of
women who are more beautiful at 50 than they
were at 30.” # Norma Mabry (M.A. French ’88)
taught French at Phillips Andover Academy for 10
years and was an assistant prof, of languages at
Merrimack College before joining Rye Country
Day School as head of the department. Since
Norma started a French exchange program in 1998
and a Spanish program in 1999, her department
now engages in exchanges with students from
Costa Rica, France, and Japan. * Mike Harris is a
lawyer at Sutherland, Collins, McMahon Sc Harris
in Burlington, but he’s also busy as co-chair of the
Williston (VT) Conservation Commission.The
Commission helps to protect some of the town’s
natural features from urban development, some¬
times getting the money together to purchase
development rights and enable farmers to keep
their land in agriculture. Water quality is another
issue that concerns the Conservation Commission.
Mike, who lives in Williston with wife Robin and
their three children, also manages to fit in home¬
brewing, gardening, biking, and cross-country ski¬
ing. * Samuel Hanscom Burridge arrived on April
23. His parents are Lewis and Anne Bailey ’83
A birthday pig roast (see 1980 column)
Burridge, and he has two big sisters, Amanda and
Allison. The Burridges live in Newburyport, MA.
81
75225.
Class Secretaries: Anne Borchardt Exler
(exler@erols.com), 35 Karen Dr.,
Underhill, VT 05489; and Sue Dutcher
Wagley, 4060 Hanover Ave., Dallas, TX
Four Middlebury friends (see photo) are enjoying
life in the San Diego area. Alisa Joyce Barba
(ajbarba@home.com) recently resumed the pursuit
of news with a new job as West Bureau Chief for
NPR. She and husband David are also busy raising
Maya (5), Patrick (4), and Gina (18 mos.). Stephen
Burke works for Sony in San Diego, marketing
teleconferencing and wireless communications. His
spouse. Cindy Murphy, studies opera and helps
direct the upbringing of sons Evan (7) and Liam
(6). Lydia Thompson ’82 continues her scholarly
pursuits of Han Dynasty tomb art, while raising
Anna (4) and Elena (6 mos.) with husband David
Fox, a computer scholar at UCSD. * In Gilford,
NH, Hayden and Ruth Turner McLaughlin
(mclaugh@inc-net.com) now have three children:
Daniel (8), Grace (4), and Catherine Hayden
McLaughlin (born October 14,1998). Besides
keeping three children busy, Ruth reports, “we are
extremely busy keeping our landscape construction
business running smoothly (www.belknapland-
scape.com).” # Julie Olin-Ammentorp, prof, of
English at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY,
recently received the Matteo Ricci, S.J., Award for
Achievement in Diversity. Julie was recognized for
her efforts to develop strong bonds between stu¬
dents and faculty of different cultures at Le Moyne.
She has also supported diversity by emphasizing the
writings of minority writers in her teaching. #
Katherine McCarthy writes of “the joy of lasting
friendship” in a recent Colonie, NY, newspaper
column. Now communicating with friends via e-
mail, she came across a stack of 20-year-old letters
from Midd friends and now resolves to print out
her messages so she will have that same pleasure in
another 20 years. # David Levy is president of his
own real estate investment counseling firm and
developer of a new software tool for the hotel and
lodging industry. In his town of Lincoln, MA, he is
an adviser to the board of assessors. * Barbara
Burns Comstock is on the Government Reform
Committee. A Criminal defense and personal
injury lawyer before signing on with the commit¬
tee in 1995, she says her best preparation for the
investigation’s grueling demands has been parenting
three children (15,14, and 10). Being a mom has
taught her to “juggle a lot balls at one time.” *
Heather Vuillet Lende is still living in Haines, AK
(pop.2,400), with husband Chip ’79 and five chil-
Fall 71
Midd Connection
dren, including a Bulgarian girl whom they are
adopting. Besides her regular column, “We
Alaskans,” in the Anchorage Daily News Sunday
magazine. Heather contributes to the electronic
version of the Christian Science Monitor. ; and is an
occasional commentator on AK for NPR’s Morning
Edition. For three summers she has been part of
“West Coast Live,” a San Francisco radio show’s AK
tour, and she writes features and obituaries for the
Haines weekly paper, the Chilkat Willey News. In the
fall, Heather coaches the Haines High cross-coun¬
try teams (boys and girls). She says anyone coming
through AK should look her up: “We’ve got lots of
room and would to love to have company from
back east.”
Class Secretaries: Mar)' Beth Litster
Cockerham (marybeth.cockerhani@
east.sun.com), 1262 Dartmouth Ct.,
Alexandria, VA 22314; and Ellen Harris
Sunggett (jswigg@aol.com), 115 Island Ave., Madison,
CT 06443 . 1
Seventeen years after graduation, three ’82 friends
met for breakfast at the Buckhorn truck stop off I-
80 in Milesburg, PA. Andrew Wilson (seno-
ramw@aol.com), asst, head at the Grier School,
came to breakfast from Tyrone, PA, where he lives
with wife Darcy and daughters Emily and Hope.
Andy Kleit (ankl@psu.edu), an assoc, prof, of
energy, environmental, and mineral economics at
the PA State Univ.. drove over from State College,
wiiere he lives with wife Susan and children Paul
and Esther. Brian Williams (bwilliam@orion.
valpo.edu), director of the Interlink Language
Center at Valparaiso Univ. in IN, was en route to
CT with wife Man.’ and children Hayley and Peter.
Brian and Andy were roommates in Battell Center
freshman year. Brian and Andrew were roommates
in the Chateau sophomore year. * David Taylor
has been elected a partner in Seattle at Perkins
Coie, the Pacific Northwest’s largest law firm.
Before joining Perkins Coie, he served as assistant
U.S. attorney in the major frauds section of the
U.S. attorney’s office, criminal div., in Los Angeles
and in Seattle. * Tom Ostler, brother George
Osder, and a childhood neighbor have sugared
together for 22 years in Hartford, VT. They make
only 200 to 250 gallons of fancy syrup every spring
at Scattered Maples, but they love doing it—on top
of their other jobs. The whole neighborhood likes
to stop by and enjoy the boiling sessions, which
often extend until midnight. Tom says, “It’s a rite of
spring for me. It helps fund my other money-losing
ventures, like selling Christmas trees, hay, natural
beef, and wood products.” Tom is a teacher at the
Hartford Career and Technology Center. * The
Jazz Dance performance on June 12 at the Flynn
Theatre in Burlington included “Ezekiel’s Wheel,”
with music composed bv Philip Hamilton, who
was also a vocal performer. With his innovative style
of singing and composing. Philip s musical style has
been called “contemporary” and “cutting edge” by
the New York Times. He has been a featured artist
with the Pat Metheny Group at the Monteaux, San
Sebastian, and Montreal Jazz Festivals, as well as
Brazils Globo-FM Music Festival and Japans NHK
Music Series. Philip composed the theme to the
Emmy-award winning PBS series Say Brother and
was the featured vocalist in the original motion
picture soundtrack of Harriet the Spy. * While in
Atlanta for business,Joe Weis met up with Rob
Davis, who seems to be happy working for
PriceWiterhouseCooper. Joe also reports that
Andy Bennett and wife Paula now have three
PROFILE
THE PLAY'S THE THING
B rian Silberman '89 wanted to act. When he
couldn’t get cast in any theatre productions while
at Middlebury, he began writing his own plays. “I
started writing my own stuff so I could get a part, and I
soon discovered that I liked the writing aspect of theatre
more than the acting.'’ Silberman wrote a play for his senior English project, and
directed it for his senior theatre project. Seven years later, the play opened Off-
Broadway. “I remember I got a B on that play, but I’m not bitter,” he laughs.
Silberman s laughter reveals the strain of hope latent in his work—the strain
that allows him to probe dark subject matter and stay afloat. It comes in the form
of epiphany for two characters wrestling with life’s tangible and metaphorical
monsters in a subway bathroom in Sugar Doiuti Billy Hoak (his senior piece). It
comes in the gut-wrenching humor of one of his most recently acclaimed works.
Manifest , a theatrical/historical vaudeville about insurrection in the death camps of
the Holocaust that won him the 1998 Clauder prize, among a slew of other lau¬
rels. (Manifest was produced by the Portland Stage Company as part of their 1999
mainstage season, and premiered in New York City 7 this fall at the Stella Adler
Theatre.)
“With every new play I learn more about myself as a playwright. Hopefully, I
am growing as a writer, learning more about the craft and art of dramatic writing,
becoming a more efficient, accomplished, imaginative, and daring storyteller.”
Currently Silberman is teaching screenwriting for a year at Southern Illinois
University.
—Courtney Palmbush ’00
children, including son Parker and daughters
Sanders and (new addition) Harper. Andy continues
to enjoy running Bennett Supply Company with
his brother. * Betsy Currier Beacom started a
new part-time job last February, as a writer in the
public affairs office at Southern CT State Univ. At
her daughters’ elementary school, Betsy writes and
edits the bimonthly PTA newsletter, which last
spring won the 1999 Children First in Connecticut
Newsletter Award for her region’s arm of the CT
PTA. * Still living on the Upper West Side. Brett
Summers and wife Jane welcomed daughter
Callie Elizabeth last December. Son Holden recent¬
ly turned two. * In Minneapolis, Deniz and
Larkin McPhee Perese welcomed third child
Lucas on March 9, right in the middle of the
record-breaking snowfall of the season. An award¬
winning independent public television producer,
Larkin is working on a new project about eating
disorders. * Thanks to everyone who has taken the
time to share some news with us. Since it seems
that many e-mail addresses have changed, please
take a minute to forward yours to either MaryBeth
or me. While you’re at it, send us some new’s! For
those of you without access to e-mail, write us a
letter!
Class Secretaries: Ruth Kennedy
(ruthk@garden.org), 231 Park St.,
Burlington, VT 05401; and Siobhan
Daily Ulrich (sulrich(@wcstminster.
pvt.kl2.ct.us), Westminster School, 995 Hopmeadow
St., Simsbury, CT 06070.
83
Congratulations to Hugh Coyle, w’hose poem
“Love or Nothing,” has been selected for a
Pushcart Award—meaning that out of about 4,000
nominees, his poem has been chosen as one of the
final 50 to 60 stories and poems which will appear
in the Pushcart Anthology for the year 2000. “Love
or Nothing” appeared in the magazine Art and
Understanding in November. * Members of the
Middlebury’ Alumni Lacrosse Club honored the
memory of Bruce Gevertz by placing a notice in
the ’99 Vail Lacrosse Tournament Program, with a
photo of him wearing a Middlebury’ shirt. * Artist
Jane Ogden taught a summer course in printmak¬
ing to children (6-11) at the Winged Arts Studio in
Manchester, VT. Her course explored relief carving
using rubber, wood, potato, and organic prints. *
Rebecca Fox was ordained as a minister of the
Presbyterian Church in August. * Helen
Hammond works in the education office at the
Boston Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys rowing
on the Charles River. * In Newburyport, MA,
Lewis ’80 and Anne Bailey Bur ridge, welcomed
son Samuel Hanscom on April 23. Sam’s sisters are
Amanda and Allison.
84
Class Secretaries: Kristen Gould Case
(pchelga@pcfastnet.com), 6490 Snowineir
Dr., Park City, UT 84098; and David
Wagstaff IV (wagsiv@Jiotmail.coni),
1007 5th St., #D, Santa Monica, CA 90403.
Well, the amazing Midd Class of’84 rallied strongly
for our 15th Reunion over Memorial Day vveek-
72 Middlebury Magazine
end. With sunny weather in the 80s, Midd really
rolled out the welcome wagon and our class set a
new 15th Reunion gift participation level record.
Coffrin Hall, our reunion HQ, has never seen such
a fun gathering of friends, families, old roommates,
etc. The current Middlebury students acting as
“hosts” for all the reunion classes were very
impressed by the Class of ’84 s ability to “rock”
Coffrin Hall and “Party like it was 1999.” We
missed our social chair. Kristen Gould Case, but
thanks goes to her for her organizing efforts. A few
strong individual reunion performances must be
mentioned: Liz Hackett Robinson put on a
great show all weekend; Jason Bacons Range
Rover died at Baba’s (the old Lyons Place); Ed
Schaefer sampled some Otter Creek; PQ (Paul
Quinlan) and Jay Klein won three bets on the
back nine; Chris Wall didn’t let the Big Dog eat;
Mason Wells liquified on Friday and rebounded
Saturday under supervision; Rick Makin learned
how to flip a cup; D’Arcy zydeco-danced with his
pants around his ankles; David Spaidal ran, boot¬
ed, and still won the 5K race; James Burke blew
in from CA; Kevin Mahaney flew in, and Leslie
Wright came out of nowhere. Chi Psi had a mini¬
reunion with Buck, Draino, our trustee Mr. Know,
Zehner, plus two from London, Jason and Dave, to
name a few. Phil Huffman. Jim Robinson, and
Tom Kottler are going to remedial volleyball
camp; DVG brought her Seminole bag; Doug
Robotham broke a Chateau window with a soft-
ball blast; Anne Hambleton danced like a crazy
woman; Rick Peterson and Liz Eppes Winton
came a-calling under the Hadley tent; while the
Tabah, Makin, Dewey, and Hackney offspring
will make a great co-ed soccer (or drawing) team
some day. Martin Beatty closed down Ups on
Sunday night, while Marty Lanigan listened to
Midd NCAA LAX on the ride home. Kathy
Meek Lehner gets an award for being the only
person to send old class pics. Sorry if we missed
other noteworthy reunion performances. Thanks to
everyone who made the effort to come up to play
in VT and make our Midd gathering so much fun.
Also, thanks to all those who helped by donating to
the Midd cause. For those who haven’t seen the
Natatorium, the new science center (Bicentennial
Hall), or the new Kenyon Arena, maybe by our
20th Reunion a new Field House will be added to
the lineup. Stay tuned. * In other news, Tom
Kottler ran the Boston Marathon in April as part
of a 25-member team pledged to raise more than
$140,000 for the Judge Baker Children’s Center, a
Harvard Medical School affiliate in Boston. #
Congratulations to Mike Noonan, who was
inducted into the New England Soccer Hall of
Fame on May 2. As men’s soccer coach, he won
A truck stop reunion off'1-80 (see 1982 column)
his third Ivy League title in four years at Brown
last season. His career record in 10 seasons of
coaching is 111-57-18.
Class Secretary: Dale Sailer
(chicago_sailers@msn.com), 223 7
Unneman St., Glenview, IL 60025.
Well its less than a year away, folks. Our 15th
Reunion and Middlebury s 200th birthday are
quickly approaching—perhaps too quickly for
some of us. Please be sure to start making plans to
join us for a great time in the Green Mountains
and get your very own Gamaliel Painters cane.
Don’t be among the missing. * Spike Gjerde and
brother Charlie have taken overjoy America Cafe
in the American Visionary Art Museum in
Baltimore, where they also have their original
restaurant, Spike & Charlie’s, as well as cafes in
Bolton Hill, Atlantic, and Canton (with adjoining
bakery). Spike and wife Amy live in Baltimore. #
With a masters in science from UNH and 10 years
of work in the environmental field, Denah
Lohmann Toupin is qualified to speak out about
the dangers of having a power plant in her Dracut,
MA, neighborhood. She appeared recently on the
local cable access program, Weekly Round Table, to
point out some problems that will befall the com¬
munity if the 750-megawatt gas-fired power plant
is built. # Stephanie Ullrich and Michael Burke
were married on July 25,1998, in Chicago where
they live. With a master’s from the International
Institute for Management Development in
Lausanne, Switzerland, Stephanie is a health care
strategy consultant in Chicago. Her husband is a
senior product manager at Abbott Labs in
Waukegan, IL. * Sean Cahill received a Ph.D in
political science from the Univ. of MI, Ann Arbor,
in August 1998. Having recently led the Lesbian
and Gay Alliance of MA and the MA Human
Services Coalition, Sean is now research and policy
director at the Policy Institute of the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force. * Instead of teaching ski¬
ing last winter, John and Cecelia Faulkner Soscia
became “students of parenting” with the birth of
son Gavin on January 29. * Edith Furber
Zhang announces the birth of son Miles Bixby
Zhang last February. “Of course we think he is the
most adorable baby!” # Rick and Johanna
Glover Wasylik welcomed child number two,
Nicholas, on April 29. Nicholas joins sister
Charlotte (2) on the farm in Canada. # Charlie
and Jane Harvey Curtis have two children
now. Sam is 2 1/2 and his new sister, Nancy
McLanahan Curtis, arrived on May 14. * Lissa
Briggs Gosiger (geesegang@aol.com) e-mails
that child number three arrived on June 24. Sam
joins siblings Paul (4) and Maggie (2) and dad
Paul at the family’s new residence in Cincinnati,
just a few short blocks from the old one. # Your
secretary recently attended a work conference in
Boston only to find none other than Rod Fox
as one of the principle speakers. Rod is the pres¬
ident and chief operating officer of E.W. Blanch,
a highly respected, long-time player in the
greater insurance industry. Rod and wife Darby
continue to live in the Dallas area with their
large clan. Rod reports that Andy Bustillo and
Rob Bredahl are also on the Blanch payroll and
doing just fine. * Finally, I was delighted to pick
up my Chicago Tribune on a recent Sunday morn¬
ing and see our own Jon Starrett quoted
regarding this years All-Star selections. Jon is the
marketing director for the Chicago Indians and
appeared to take a special delight at the Indians
Middlebury friends in San Diego (see 1981 column)
fans’ loyalty to their local heroes at the expense
of Texas’s Juan Gonzalez.
Class Secretaries: Mar)' Sue Holland
(msuehollnd@iol.com), 65 W. 96 St.,
#17D, New York, NY 10025; and Julie
Morris Ogden (ogdens@wonoldfarms.
com), 500 Old Farms Rd.,Avon, CT 06001.
Torsten Garber (torstengarber@hotmail.com)
was “temporarily assigned to the NATO Air Ops
Center inVincenza, Italy, from 03 June to 15 July.”
Drop him an e-mail note. # Rebecca Gilman is
the author of Spinning Into Butter, her second play
“to make waves in the Chicago area in as many
years and one of the more explosive dramas to
come our way in some time” (in the words of the
Chicago Tribune). Set in “a VT college,” she says she
“was writing about ways in which white people
objectify people of color, whether to denigrate or
idealize them.” She says she’s “trying to find a bal¬
ance between being realistic about what I think
might be a potential cure and not wanting to be so
didactic I turn people off.” Her other plays include
The Glory of Lining, about the youngest woman to
serve time on Death Row (1996), and The Crime of
the Century, about mass killer Richard Speck, to
premiere next season, along with Boy Meets Girl,
about a NYC woman whose blind date becomes a
stalker. * Charlotte Lindsay (charburger@
yahoo.com) is enjoying her sixth year of teaching
French and Spanish at Golden High School in CO.
“In 1996,1 finally finished my M.A. in Spanish at
the Middlebury Spanish program. It was a lot of
fun to be on the campus in the summer. Last sum¬
mer, I was in Paris taking classes to keep my teach¬
ing certificate current. It was an exciting time to be
there, with the World Cup and Bastille Day. I am
the proud owner of a mortgage and a home with a
guest room here in Golden, if anyone comes
through!” # Kathy Donohue-de Souza (des-
ouza@batelnet.bs) writes, “Our family has just
grown with the addition of Paul Joseph on March
13,1999. Paul and his sister, Meghan (3), are enjoy¬
ing living in the Bahamas. We have been here for
almost three years now. My husband and I are both
physicians at the only private hospital in the
Bahamas, Doctors Hospital. I have been working
here ever since finishing my residency training in
physical medicine and rehabilitation at Columbia
Presbyterian Medical Center in NYC, where I was
resident. My husband, Pablo, is an anesthesiologist.
We don’t get many Middlebury visitors here, but
our door is always open!” * Tim Jaeger was
recently appointed the athletic director at Episcopal
High School in Alexandria,VA. He reports that
John Hersperger is an attorney in Morristown,
NJ. # Thomas Robertson has been named a
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Fall 73
WEDDINGS
T Noelle Bujold '88 and Quinn Pollock '90
were married on March 5 in an on-snow
ceremony, followed by a full day of skiing
at Lost Lake in Whistler, British Columbia.
The bride wore her veil and flowers duct-
taped to her ski helmet, of course. Joe
Bujold '60, father of the bride, displays an
antique Middlebury banner with the new¬
lyweds.
▲ Unfurling the banner at Shelburne Farms following the August 8, 1998, mar¬
riage of Barbie Atwood and Alex Cobb '95 were (front) Drew Hayes '95, Peter
Poison '95, Greg Boosin '94, Steve Reale '94, Ryan Benedict '95, (second row)
Ann Amstutz '96, Andy Roebuck '95, Doris Nagel Sullivan (Bread Loaf '69), the
newlyweds, Andy Cobb '02, Heather Fremgen Smith '95, Jen Kahn Hamilton
'96, (standing) Tyler Lincoln '96, Jud Bartlett '95, Andy Enright '95, Karen Engler
Bartlett '95, J.J. Gilmartin '92, Matt Baker '97, Wright Frank '95, Bob Labick
'93, Liz Siris '95, Jeff Pare '95, Lesley Tucker '95, Ray Strong '91, Dan Haley '95,
Jon Hanlon '93, Christine Waasdorp '94, Matt Hamilton '95, Kara Sweeney '95,
Dudley Winthrop '94, Gloria Ehrenberg '95, Ryan Jennings '93, Steve Quinn '91,
Ian Smith '96, Meghan Kilroy '95, and Dave "Chowda" Erickson #25 '96. The
newlyweds are both at Harvard, Barbie working on a master's in liberal studies
and Alex an MBA.
►The marriage of Lucie Ide '97 and
Humberto Garcia Sjogrim '96 took place
on March 20, with a Mead Chapel cake
being enjoyed by Anne Pomeroy '97, Scott
Davis '97, Kathy Garcia-Sjogrim '00, the
newlyweds, Sandro Wulff '95, Javier Marin-
Alvarado, Amil Ramanaden '97, (back)
Natasha Causton '96, Isabelle Ortega '94,
Jordan Gudebski '95, Maria Marin-
Alvarado, Glyn Trevillion '93, Leah
Schaeffer '99, Andres Fontao '96, Craig
Hanson '03, Ann Hanson, John Hanson,
Matt Hanson, Jim Rubright, Kathy
Rubright, Agnes Tarashev, Riikka Pakkala
'95, and Nikola Tarashev '96.
► Meredith King '94 and Matthew
Riordan '93 celebrated their August 8,
1998, marriage in Chicago with Mike
Mannozzi '93, Manny Montes '93, the
newlyweds, Jen Poinier Ballinger '91,
Crystal Reitsma '95, Evie Holley '94, and
Jenny Peterson '94. The wedding took
place at North Park Univ., where Meredith
is a development associate. Matt is a com¬
puter technician at the Univ. of Chicago.
<4 Middlebury was well represented at the
August 8, 1998, marriage of Lauren Appel
'97 and David Curry '96. With them were
(front row) Jennifer Burrell '97, the newly¬
weds, Tim Curry '93, (second row) Shenna
Bellows '97, Zac Stillerman '97, Amanda
Shoemaker '97, Emily Onasch '97, Jen Gelb
'97, Karen Lewis '97, Justin Elicker '97, Sue
Ingersoll Clough '65, John Clough '63,
(third row) Christina Morss '97, Liz
Ganschow '97, Amy Flanders '97, Alyson
Cucci '98, (fourth row) Dave Wolman '96,
Scott Morgan '96, Jason Dimmig '96, Jeff
Rea '97, Gabi Belfort '96, Petra Stuehmeier
'96, Matt Leidecker '96, Stu Williamson
'97, John Felton '99, Doug Griffith '96,
Alex Kloman Southworth (M.A. English
'92), Peter Southworth (M.A. English '92),
and Chris Noll (M.A. English '87). The new¬
lyweds are living in Jackson Hole, WY,
A The Sleeper put in an appearance at
Sugarloaf/USA in Maine, following the July
31 marriage of Kate Webber '94 and
Samuel Punderson. Overcome by the heat
were Peter N. Webber Jr. '93, Peter N.
Webber Sr. '57, Suzi M. Webber '88, the
newlyweds, Frank Punderson '55, Sue
Heyer Byers '55, (second row) Sally Keefe
'93, Chris "Flash" Clark '92, Bruce Byers
'55, Jill Madden '87, Martha Punderson
Graf '85, Ingrid Punderson '88, Woody
Jackson '70, Colin Leonard '92, Kadie
Falso Leonard '94, Patricia Judah Palmer
'57, Charles Palmer '57, (third row) David
Graf '85, Chris Riley Willcox '94, (fourth
row) Karen Engler Bartlett '95, Judson
Bartlett '95, Booth Hodde '94, John
Anderson '94, Kirsten Morbeck '94,
George Putnam '94, Amy L. Hansen '94,
Naomi Moskowitz Hodde '94, Porter Fox
'94, Mike Thompson '94, (back row)
Jeremy Hertzig '94, Christopher Marshall
'94, Mike Hussey '99, Critter Thompson
'94, Aaron Ambuske '94, Barney Hodges
'91, and John Ogden '89.
► Celebrating the August 1, 1998,
marriage ofTizz (Elizabeth) Strachan
'90 and Scott Miller in Sun Valley, ID,
were Pam Adelman '90, Steph
Cooper '90, the newlyweds, Nicky
Biddle '86, Betsy Winchester '90, Jill
Skovron '90, Edith Her '87, (second
row) Bud Liddell '91, Mark Maxwell
'90, Katie Ray '89, Damon Webber
'90, Joe Brown '90, Kristen Peterjohn
Brown '90, Nonie Dorschel '90,
Suzanne Carlson '90, Kelly Smith
Feldman '90, Richard Feldman '91,
Skye Garrett Ryon '90, YoungHae
Chu '90, and Tom Dabney '93. Scott
is a furniture maker and Tizz teaches
high school government and history
at the Wood River High School in
Hailey, ID.
M Courtney McDonnell '89 and Gene Visco
got a lift from their friends following their
marriage on May 23, 1998, in Garden City,
NY. Hoisting the newlyweds are Wendy
McDonnell Hale '88, Alison Steele Carrier
'89, Paige Pierson '89, Alison Evans Ney
'89, Lucy Henderson '89, Gabriela Artavia
'89, Andrea Salzman '89, Michael Choi
'89, Tom Nuovo '85, John Mackin '89,
Chris O'Brien '89, and MaryBeth Comerci
Nuovo '89. The newlyweds live in L.A.,
where Courtney is an executive at a film
production company, A Band Apart.
«4 Mary McKelvey '90 and Chris Bercaw were married
on July 18, 1998. Celebrating with them in
Minneapolis were Aradhana Kumar, Karan Capoor '90,
the newlyweds, Phil Oldham '90, Lovisa Johnsson '90,
and Kim Bradley '90. In July 1999, the newlyweds
moved to Europe, where Chris will continue practicing
international corporate law with Dorsey & Whitney,
LLP, in Brussels, Belgium. Mary may continue teaching
English as a Second Language and will be hosting visi¬
tors for two or three years.
◄ No question about it, the bridegroom
was riding on air following the marriage of
Marjorie Tyndall '91 and Florentine Hoelker
on September 26, 1998. Friends and levi-
tators gathering in Evanston, IL, included
Anne Schott '92, Liz Hopper '91, Melissa
Menta '91, Judy Levenson '91, Chris
Munion '91, and the happy couple, now
living in Chicago.
►The October 24, 1998, gathering in Washington, DC, for the marriage of Jeannie
Nelson and Viraj Mirani '92 included Mary-Beth Marcotte '92, Nick Tcherepnin '92,
Cynthia Brown '92, Sandy Palmer '92, the newlyweds, (back) Brian Schilling '92,
Elizabeth and John Zehner '87, Sara Weale '92, Chris Faranetta, and Janine Rubitski
'92. The newlyweds live in Vienna, VA, while Viraj works at St. Maxens & Co., an
international trade consulting firm, and Jeannie works in child psychiatry at the
National Institutes of Health.
▼ The June 12 marriage of Mary Hogan and Paul Wilcox '91 took place in
Parsippany, NJ. On hand for the festivities were (front) Mark Wilcox '86, the newly¬
weds, Grace Garcia Lessing '91, Andrew Peach '91, (back) John Dahl '91, Elizabeth
Wilcox Snow '89, James Wilcox '93, Bob Anderson '91, Anthony Storm '91, Robert
Martin '52, Mark Galiette '79, Laurie Schaecher, and Dennis Schaecher '91. Living in
NYC, Paul is a product manager for Member-Works Inc. and Mary is an editor of
children's books at Disney.
partner in McCarter ik English LLP, NJ s oldest and
largest law firm. He and wife Pamela live in
Summit, NJ, with children Meredith and William.
# Christine Langlois married Douglas Herrick
in April on the beach in Maine. * Middlebury-ites
gathered in Wethersfield, CT, on May 22 to cele¬
brate the marriage of Laura Gworek and John
King. Among the guests toasting the happy couple:
Mary Sue Holland Dehn, Jennifer Lawrence
Horan, Deborah Vehse Lund, Christine
Langlois, Cathy Perillo, Betsy Thompson
Serlemitsos (who came all the way from Africa),
Kristin Roberts Asbury, Melissa Marquardt,
Karen Belinski ’87, Bill Leeson, and Heather
Karlson ’87. Laura and John have moved to
Sacramento, CA, where John works in sales for
Prestone.
87
Class Secretary: Ann Christie Gusiff
(clothestd@aol.com), 4402 El Camino
Corto, La Canada Flintridge, CA
91 Oil; and Scott Langerman
(scott.langerman@jturner.com), 1098 Rosedale Rd.,
Atlanta, GA 30306.
Don Hindman (ddh@clarkfoodservice.com) lives
in suburban Chicago with wife Maron and chil¬
dren Charlie (3) and Hadley (10 mos.). Don says he
is “very happy to have quit practicing law to join
the family distribution business, which is much
more fulfilling than trying to beat someone’s brains
in day in and day out! I stay in touch with lots of
Midd alums, like John Aymar and Clifton
Romig. through the recently established Dissipated
8 Alumni Association. We are starting to plan the
D-8’s 50th Anniversary Reunion for Homecoming
2002!” * Lynn Feldpausch Zipf celebrated her
35th birthday by running the Burlington,VT,
marathon in great time, much to the delight of her
children Elizabeth (3 1/2) and Matthew (2). *
Living in Brighton, MA, Christine McCrorey is
finishing a master’s in public administration. *
Sharon Fray-Witzer is practicing law on her
own in Boston. * Ramiro Prudencio
(ramiro_prudencio@bm.com) sends greetings
from Brazil. “As of January, I am living in Sao
Paulo, after having spent nearly five years in Chile.
Sao Paulo is a long, long way from Middlebury.
With nearly 20 million people, this is the third
largest city in the world. As for Brazil, it is a wild,
fun, beautiful place. No one I can report on from
here and do not know if any classmates or Midd
alums are in Brazil. Laura Mullahy returned to
the U.S. from Chile and is living in Boston. Would
love to catch up with any Midd kids visiting
Brazil.” * Isabel Abislaiman writes: “After five
years of federal civil rights litigation and a very
brief solo period, I started in the labor and
employment div. of Axtmayer Adsuar Muniz &
Goyco, a medium-sized corporate law firm here in
San Juan.” Her e-mail address is iabislaiman@
aamg.org.” * Lisa Preston Bailey is “still in
Honolulu, teaching Spanish, enjoying Paradise—
and I especially love spending time with Natasha
(3). Heather Gaudreau Lum and I took our stu¬
dents to Russia in June. We had a wonderful time,
but it will likely be our last trip as Iolani School
has discontinued the Russian program.” *
Recently named product manager for
Hammermill Premiums, Scott Stone is based in
East Granby, CT. He was previously a manager for
the Springhill and Carolina brands of International
Paper. * A specialist in plastic and reconstructive
hand surgery. Dr. Kimberley Lloyd O’Sullivan
has had international assignments involving recon¬
structive hand surgery and pediatric hand and cleft
lip surgery. * Fully embracing the international
school lifestyle. David and Sheryl Cole ’89
Stearns (dsteams@nist.ac.th) are moving on from
Zambia to a UN-related school in Bangkok,
Thailand. “We will be in Bangkok after August.
David will be teaching history and business and
organizational management at the New
International School of Bangkok, and I will be
studying for a master’s in education through Bath
Univ. (UK) and doing ESL training.” * Jacques
Heim, who founded Diavolo Dance Theatre in
Los Angeles in 1992, was recently named one of
the 100 Coolest People in L.A. by Buzz magazine.
A prof, at UCLA teaching intensive movement for
actors, Jacques is also in residence at CA State Univ.
at L.A., teaching improvisational movement. #
Since lack of appropriate attire is a major obsta¬
cle for people trying to get off welfare and into
the work force, Ann Christie GusifF started
Clothes The Deal in 1995 in her garage, dispers¬
ing 4,000 items of clothing to about 800 recipi¬
ents in the first year. Four years later, nearly
50,000 suits, dresses, ties, and shoes have gone to
about 10,000 needy job candidates. Ann recently
stepped away from day-to-day operations, but
she remains active as chair of the executive
board. * Steve and Kate Felstiner Lowe were
married in October 1998. They have had an
extended honeymoon, since Steve’s job in trading
precious metals took them to London right after
their wedding. Kate is working in an advertising
firm. * It was a Valentine’s Day wedding for Angela
Nielsen and Tim Kaliban.Tim is an assistant VP
of client support with Equifax Inc. in Tampa, FL;
Angela is pursuing a degree at DePaul Univ. in
Chicago. * Elizabeth Starr and Joseph Hassett
were married on May 15 at Canisius College,
where Joe received his MBA. He is general manag¬
er of Buerk Tool and Machine Corp. in Buffalo,
while Elizabeth works for the YWCA. * Bruce
and Sharon Ballard Richardson welcomed
daughter Hannah on January 4. She joins sister
Lindsay (3 1/2).The Richardsons live in
Charleston, SC, where Sharon works in land
preservation. “In the last three years, I worked with
landowners who have voluntarily protected over
10,000 acres of land in coastal SC.” * Lee and
Marty Ulrich Dayton announce the birth of son
Nicholas Everett Dayton on March 5,1999. They
live in San Francisco, where Marty works for
Power Bar. # Daughter Chiara Genieve Evans
joined Sally Evans and husband Matthias
Stopfkuchen-Evans on May 30. They live in
Munich, Germany, where Sally is on maternity
leave from the Bertelsmann Music Group, a unit of
BMG Entertainment. Sally welcomes e-mail mes¬
sages from friends at 101716.2207@
compuserve.com. * Doug Fischer and wife
Janine were joined by daughter Sydney Patricia on
June 22. Sydney’s sister, Alexandra, is 2 1/2. Doug
has been an attorney with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency in NYC for nine years. The
focus of his work is on legal issues relating to the
cleanup of toxic waste sites in NY and the
Caribbean. * After graduating from Harvard
Business School this spring. Carolin Pu
Archibald and husband Tim ’88 moved into their
newly renovated house in Cambridge, MA—just in
time to welcome first child Logan Fan-Shen
Archibald on July 24. Carolin started work at
Boston Consulting Group this fall. * On June 13,
Vicki and Scott Langerman welcomed daughter
Jennifer Elizabeth to the family She joins big
brother Jack.
Class Secretaries: Anya Puri
(apuri@Jawrenceville.org), 2549 Main
St., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648; and Claire
Gwatkin (claire_gwatkin@gap.com),
4284 24th St., San Francisco, CA 94114.
Roberta Sengelmann-Keshen
(rsengel@imgate.wustl.edu) writes: “I’m still prac¬
ticing and teaching dermatologic surgery at
Washington Univ. School of Medicine/Barnes
Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO, and loving it! I’m
still commuting to see my husband (Tamir Keshen
UVA ’89) on weekends, as he finishes his general
surgery residency at the Univ. of IA.Visited Emilie
Riggs-Laurent in November in Paris. She has
three adorable kids now.” Roberta recently remi¬
nisced with John Goebel at a Midd gathering
with Pres. McCardell held at the home of John’s
parents. * The Middlebury sweatshirt made its
appearance on the May 7 episode of Nash Bridges.
Shawn Ryan (mfkidd@aol.com), executive story
editor on the show, wrote in May: “For those of us
familiar with the ubiquitous Midd sweatshirts, it
will be very recognizable; for others, I’m not sure if
you’ll be able to read the entire ‘Middlebury’ due
to crinkles. I’m currently on hiatus on Nash, and
have a few weeks off before I go back for my third
season on the show. I’m also writing a pilot for Fox
and writing an independent short film that a friend
is going to direct in Kansas in September. So after
being unemployed for five years, things are good
for me at the moment.” * Dina WolkofF. an
administrative assistant in Minneapolis, did con¬
struction work and tutored children in Metcalfe,
MS, for a week last March. As part of a Global
Volunteers team, she helped to construct a perfor¬
mance stage for a city park, tutored kids, wired
telephone lines, planted flowers, and painted street
signs. “Working with the children brought me joy
daily,” she reports, and she found the local people
“fiin, open, casual, easy to be with.” * Bill Warren
has been elevated to partner at Jones & Askew, LLP,
in Atlanta. With extensive experience in patenting
of biomedical inventions, he belongs to the firm’s
biomedical and chemical technology group. He has
his M.S. in molecular genetics (GA State Univ.), as
well as an MBA (Emory). Bill and wife Margaret
(Gibbs) ’89 are Atlanta residents. * Brian Foss
recently started his own construction company in
Jackson Hole, WY, where he has been since 1990.
He also completed building his own home. *
Daughter Caroline arrived to parents Chris and
Kristin Crowder Dollase on February 5. Her
godfather is George Ritchie. * Katherine
Grubbs is living in northern VA, where husband
Gerald Donovan is a psychiatrist at the Marine
Base in Quantico,VA. Daughter Courtney (3 in
June) was joined by brother Daniel in March.
Katherine is working on a dissertation on strategies
for teaching writing at the college level. * Susie
and John Walker report the arrival of third child
Ella in June ’98. “Our house is certainly frill and
noisy, with Jackson (5),Addy (2), and Ella. And I
started a business in December, called e-walker. It’s
Web design and on-line marketing.” John and crew
live in Lancaster, PA, and can be reached at jwalk-
er@e-walker.com. * Michael and Carolyn
Haviland (M.A. English ’98) Obel-Omia wrote to
share their joy at the birth of son Jackson Campbell
Obel-Omia on June 20 in Boston. # Tim and
Carolin Pu ’87 Archibald are living in their newly
renovated home in Cambridge, MA, with son
Logan Fan-Shen Archibald, who was born on July
24. Tim had six weeks of paternity leave from Kao
Design Group in Somerville. He reports that Mike
78 Middlebury Magazine
Dow and wife Katherine welcomed a daughter,
Natalie, in February.They live in Portland, ME,
where Mike owns his own business in computer
consulting. # Esra Ansay and Clark Munnell were
married on April 23 at the Essex House in NYC.
Clark is VP in private client services at Goldman,
Sachs, and he is also the founder of Patch the
Apple, a NYC fund-raising group supporting
neighborhood volunteer organizations. * Noelle
Bujold and Quinn Pollock ’90 were married
March 5 at Lost Lake in Whistler, British
Columbia.Their on-snow ceremony was followed
by a full day of skiing—complete with the bride
wearing a veil and flowers duct-taped to her ski
helmet. (See photo.) Now living in Arlington,VA,
Noelle recently completed an assignment on VP
Gores National Security Staff and has returned to
CIA Headquarters, where she is senior duty officer
in the operations center. Quinn
(qpollock@aol.com) is a veterinary pharmaceutical
rep for J. A. Webster. * On June 19, Amanda
Marcantonio and Michael Reynal were married
in Southport, CT. Michael got his MBA from
Dartmouth last spring and became VP managing
emerging-market portfolios atWafra Investment
Advisory Services in NYC.
Class Secretaries: Kristen Canfield
McBumey, 7141 Lincoln ParkWay,
S. W., Seattle, WA 98136; and Timothy
O’Shea (tim.o’shea@fmr.com), 1400
Lowell Rd., Concord, MA 01742.
Many thanks to all of you ’89ers who made the
trek to Bread Loaf for our 10th Reunion. The
weekend could not have been better! Scores of our
classmates took advantage of the beautiful weather
and got the most out of the return toVT. Between
the Friday night festivities, Saturdays College-spon¬
sored events, the rockin’ band on Saturday night,
and the extra day due to the holiday weekend,
those of us who attended found out that we re not
as young as we used to be! Our class won the
Parton Family Award, presented to the reunion class
before the 25th with the greatest increase in partic¬
ipation. Many thanks to the College for putting on
quite a show. But most of all, thanks to all of you
who came back to Midd. For those of you who
missed out, its only four and a half years ’till our
15th! # Hayden Cutler and family made the trek
to reunion. Hayden runs a stone and marble
importing business in VA. # Phil “Zack” Conner
was also there. Zack and family just moved to NJ,
where Zack is the director of the Prudential Real
Estate publishing unit. * Kirsten Ritzau made
the effort to come all the way from Ketchum, ID.
Kirsten sells real estate in Ketchum. # Kudos to
Reid Payne for coming all the way from London,
England. Reid is the executive director of
StreetFeat, a theatre company whose primary goal
is to produce theatre in public spaces. Reid recendy
oversaw the Carnaby Street production of Waiting
for Godot. # Congrats to newlyweds Janelle
Moburg and Jay Leonard, who tied the knot
weeks before the reunion. # Congrats also to
Shelly and Graham Goldsmith, who braved the
wilds ofVermont and then welcomed second
daughter Lily Oliver on July 8. # Meg Beeman
was in rare form on the dance floor during
reunion, making the most out of her cross-country
visit from San Francisco. Joining Meg from the Left
Coast were Karl Mayer, Stu Maeder, and
Maureen Watson. * Ivar Henningson, who
recently graduated from Babson with his MBA, was
also in attendance. Ivar is busy preparing for the
2000 Eco-Challenge, teaming up with the Spanish
Team, “Sin Dulces,” and hoping to help it repeat its
top 10 finish from 1999. * Ernie Stone, who also
made the trip, runs his own law practice in
Hamilton, MA. Ernie is very active in local com¬
munity events, and he was named “1999 Can
Man” for leading a recycling effort which raised
over $11,000 for the Hamilton- Wenham Little
League. # Seatdelites who made the trek to Bread
Loaf included Susanne Ecker, Sue Haviland,
Anne Cavendar. Cathy and JefF Somers, Scott
and Kris Canfield McBurney, and Adam Ross.
Anne will soon find herself working in Beijing; Sue
and Susanne teach in Seattle; Jeff is a marketing
manager in the music division at Amazon.com; Jeff
and Cathy just had their second child, daughter
Audrey. * KC Koch Reeves sent her best wishes
from Bethesda, MD, where she is on leave from
Arthur Andersen with her second child, Sam, born
on tax day. # Bonnie and Keith Pennell brought
the newest addition to their family, daughter Lucy,
to reunion. They recently moved from NYC to
Saddle River, NJ. * Troy Haynie, who teaches at
St. Luke’s in New Canaan, planned to enjoy work¬
ing at a camp over the summer. # Tom Gleason
has started his residency in the cardiothoracic pro¬
gram at UPenn Medical Center. # Richard
Morse is living in New Haven, CT, having spent
several years with the NOLS programs. He’s plan¬
ning to apply his NOLS experience to corporate
development/organizational behavior consulting. #
Gregory and Laura Andrews Alberton have left
their posts in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo
Clinic and moved to San Francisco. # Craig and
Karen Lane Anderson recently moved from MI
to Charleston, SC. Karen is an outpatient Physical
Therapist at the Medical Univ. of SC, and Craig is
a marketing director with Hill-Rom s long-term
care division. # Nicole Zungoli lives outside
Philadelphia, PA, with her husband and two chil¬
dren. * Mark Dimond is a senior VP at First
USA Partners, where he is busy seeking Internet
partners for the First USA credit card brand. Mark
and wife Carrie are proud homeowners in Ashland,
MA. # Marci Griffith is a principal with Fallon
Hines & O’Connors Investment Services Group in
Boston. According to a recent profile in Banker &
Tradesman, she likes deciphering a building’s worth
and conveying that knowledge to investors. Her sis¬
ters, Karen Griffith ’90 and Kimberly Griffith
Hyland ’93, sell stocks and equity investments to
institutional investors. * Five friends gathered from
all parts of the country last March for a mini-
Midd reunion in the San Juan Islands ofWA state:
Kristen Lindquist from ME, Margie
McGinnis from MA, Sarah Hower from CO,
Julia Morse from WA, and Cindy Wasser from
VA. Cindy (grampus@erols.com) writes: “We had
a great visit, and hiked, hot-tubbed, painted, feast¬
ed, and generally relaxed. Hard to believe it’s been
10 years since we all graduated!” # Laura
Andrews Alberton (lalberton@pacbell.net)
moved to San Francisco in July for a fellowship in
orthopedic surgery. “The summer has been cooler
than MN—I hope the winter isn’t. Looking for¬
ward to seeing some Midd friends here.” #
Michael Cohen has opened a law office in
Cumberland, MD, where he lives with wife
Moriah. * While working on an M.A. in educa¬
tion through Bath Univ. (UK), Sheryl Cole
Stearns (stearns@zamnet.zm) is doing ESL train¬
ing in Bangkok, Thailand. For more news of Sheryl
and David ’87, please turn to 1987. * Tina Wayne
and Robert Berman were married on October
31,1998, in Altoona, PA. Robert is president of
Rasta Imposta and Tina is the owner of the Mod
Hatter.They live in Glendora, NJ. * Dean and
Diane Skenas Maimonis and daughter Alexis
welcomed a new family member, Elizabeth, on
November 6,1998. ♦ A son, Luke, joined parents
Noelle Smith and Gary Stone on December 9,
1998. * Pete and Kris Eardensohn Stelter are
happy to announce the arrival of daughter
Gretchen Hannah on March 8. # Christopher and
Adrienne Buda Anderson welcomed first child
Katherine Cora Anderson on June 5. # Carl and
Catherine Butts Vikstrom announce the recent
birth of their first child, son Lars KelloggVikstrom.
♦ July 12 was the birthday of Elliott Jameson, first
child of Jennifer and Rob Snow.
Class Secretaries: Mary Stechschulte
(marysteck@hotmail. com), Cranhrook
Academy of Art, P.O. Box 801,
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303; and Paul
E. Needham (pau1_e._needham@scudder.com),
43 Berry wood Ln., South Hamilton, MA 01982.
Dmra Byrne (jpglab@gateway.net) reports that
she recently moved back from Australia. She and
husband John Graham live in YardJey, PA. She’s a
consultant for Hewitt Associates in Bridgewater,
NJ. # Karan Capoor received has MBA from
Darden at the Univ. ofVA last May. He has gone to
work for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Fairlakes,
VA. ♦ Greg Frezados reports: “All is well in
Chicago. Became a financial adviser with
PaineWebber two years ago after several of practic¬
ing law. Also active with the Field Museum board,
thanks to Doug Meyer. Finally, anyone who
knows the whereabouts of Matt Stewart, please
contact me at gfrezados@yahoo.com. ♦ Tim
Berry is the new director of floor whip operations
in the office of House Majority Whip Tom DeLay
(R—Texas). * Alexander Perry, assistant district
attorney of Rensselaer County (NY), was recendy
appointed to the board of directors of the Hoosick
Falls Health Center. He also belongs to the Capital
District Civil Wir Round Tible and the Society for
Creative Anachronism. Alex and wife Beth live in
North Hoosick. ♦ Gary Sedlik (gary@lahockey.
com) is a litigation associate in the Los Angeles
offices of Dewey Ballantine LLP. “In my time away
from the office, I’ve been playing a lot of ice hock¬
ey and I started up a Web site for those interested
in playing hockey in southern CA: www.lahockey.
com. I’d love to hear from any classmates passing
through L.A.!” #■ Todd Olinger (todd.olinger
@judicial.state.colorado.edu) received graduate
degrees in business and law from the Univ. of CO
in May 1998. He has been serving as a law clerk to
Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis of the Colorado
Supreme Court. This fall, he’s practicing environ¬
mental law at Davis, Graham & Stubbs in Denver.
His avid interest in conflict resolution—fostered by
Midd Prof. Russell Leng ’60—continues, particu¬
larly in light of the Kosovo conflict. He is still a
reserve captain in the USAF, having served four
years on active duty as a space intelligence officer
after graduating from Midd. # Kelly Smith
Feldman is busy with Catherine (3) and
Alexander (1). Husband Richard ’91 runs their
Ketchum, ID, bike shop, specializing in custom and
high-end bicycles, especially cyclocross.They also
sell nationally and have just launched a Web page
with a catalog at www.durance.com. Kelly contin¬
ues to do photography—mostly in the winter, since
the store is busiest in the summer. # Rachel
Wigglesworth is in Jackson Hole,WY, doing coy¬
ote research at the Teton Science School. She is
s
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Fall 79
happy, but hard to reach! * Lovisa Johnsson is
now happily ensconced in CT, working for an
Internet company. She makes frequent trips to
Bermuda and Spain. * Elizabeth Toder spent a
month in Argentina over the summer, which
included five weeks as a financial consultant to a
microfinance organization in Buenos Aires,
Argentina. She brought her skis for southern hemi¬
sphere skiing. * Eric and Diane Peterson
Seaborn welcomed son Graham Evan on
Mothers Day, May 9. * Annette and Art
McAleer are happy to announce the arrival of son
Ian Nikolaj, who was born on July 3. Living in
Newfields, NH, Art makes the daily commute to
Boston, where he’s a partner in a small M&A advi¬
sory shop whose bread and butter business is in
cross-border (largely Europe/U.S.) transactions.
They’ve kept in touch with Mary and Rob
Hansen. Carolyn and Mike Lane, and Ken and
Wendy Williams Davis, and would love to hear
from other classmates. * Chris Awtrey and Sloane
Stephens ’91 were married on June 21,1997, in
Mead Chapel. # For news of the marriage of
Noelle Bujold ’88 and Quinn Pollock, please turn
to the 1988 column.Their wedding photo also
appears in this issue. * Josie Parr and C. David
Welling were married on October 31,1998.They
live in San Francisco, where David is chief of staff
of institutional services at Charles Schwab and Co.
Josie is a brand manager at Clorox in Oakland.
Class Secretaries: Bill Driscoll
(wndnsc@aol.com), 743 Wildwood Rd.,
Atlanta, GA 30324; and Kate J. Kelley
(kelley_kate@liotniail.coni), 2305 White
Pine Dr., Durham, NC 27705.
Since completing a graduate program in civil engi¬
neering at CO State Univ. (Fort Collins, CO) in
1997, Darcy Noss Molnar has been working as a
postdoctoral fellow doing research in rainfall-runoff
modeling. This October she was moving to
Bratislava, Slovakia, to do research in flood forecast¬
ing at the Slovak Institute of Technology. Darcy and
husband Peter, who is from Slovakia, have a daugh¬
ter, Monika (1). # After several years at the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum,
Lesley Humphreys has been named curator of
history and research for the NY State Historical
Assoc, and the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown,
NY. * Dave Rogers and his pal, Greg King,
geared up for their fourth season as co-owners of
The Lakehouse, a hot dining spot on Lake
Bomoseen, which they revived in 1996. They work
seven days a week during the six-month season
that the restaurant is open and spruce up the
premises during the off season. * Paul Testa
(paultl7827@aol.com) started his first year at
Dartmouth Medical School in August. * Tom
Chambers (tchamber@emma.troy.ny.us) “The big
news is that I finished (finally) my Ph.D. in history
this spring at William and Mary. I’m currently
teaching as an adjunct at Siena College in
Loudonville, NY, and summer session courses at
Skidmore up in Saratoga. I’m searching for the elu¬
sive tenure-track job and revising my dissertation
(comparing Northern and Southern resorts in
antebellum America—a great read if you’re suffer¬
ing from insomnia) for publication. My wife teach¬
es history at Emma Willard School in Troy, NY, so
I’m basically a kept man. Not a bad life, since it
gives me plenty of time to read and write.”
. . .Susan Dalrymple and Jordan Sullivan ’93 were
married November 14,1998, in Ridgefield, CT.
Susan is director, estate jewelry, at William Doyle
Galleries in NYC. Jordan is in foreign exchange
options at SBC Wirburg Dillon Read in Stamford.
♦ It was a June wedding for Annelliott Willis and
James Nida.Jim got his MBA from Tuck at
Dartmouth and works for NovaCare in
Philadelphia. # Kelly Crawford and Andrew
Friendly met at the Democratic National
Convention in NYC in 1992, when they were
working on Bill Clinton’s national advance staff.
On June 19, they were married in Chatham, MA.
Now studying for a master’s in management at
Northwestern, Andrew worked in the White
House from 1997 to 1998, as a senior adviser to the
special envoy to the Americas. * Cassie Robbins
and Thomas Clayton were married in Dorset, VT,
on June 19. While working on her master’s in
media studies at NYU, Cassie is a director of pro¬
motion marketing at Comedy Central, the cable
television network in Manhattan. * On June 26,
Katherine Miller and Ben Danson tied the knot
at a home ceremony in Llanerch, PA. The newly¬
weds are both teachers at Penncrest High School in
Media—she teaches math and he teaches American
history. * Daughter Camille Cardwell Buffaloe
joined David and Catherine Cardwell Buffaloe
on May 27. Catherine, David, Camille, and their
dog,Valkyrie, live in Germany, where David is sta¬
tioned with the U.S. Army. # It is with great sad¬
ness that we must report the tragic death of James
Appleby on June 9 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We
send the condolences of the class to his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. James E. Appleby, and to all his family and
friends. A memorial appears elsewhere in this issue.
Class Secretary: Justin Ayers
(justin.ayers@frnr.com), 660 Main St.,
#4, Melrose, MA 02176.
Tabitha Jenkins, of NYC, received the Judge
Amandus Brackman Moot Court Prize for profi¬
ciency in briefing and arguing cases in Moot Court
at Washington Univ., St. Louis School of Law. She
received aJ.D. in May. * Jonathan Freirich grad¬
uated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College on June 13, receiving the title of Rabbi
and the Master of Hebrew Letters degree. He also
studied in Israel and will receive an M.A. in reli¬
gious studies from Hebrew Univ. The first student
to complete the Rabbis for College Campus train¬
ing specialization, he’s now serving as assistant
director of the Hillel at the Univ. of AZ in Tucson.
* John Doty has been promoted to legislative
director by Rep.Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). He joined
Seven Middlehury MBAs from Tuck-Dartmouth
(see 1992 column)
the staff as an intern in 1994. * Rebecca
SofFerman Buerkett has been hired by the
Adirondack Aquatic Institute (AAI) as part-time
technical and administrative assistant. Rebecca is an
adjunct prof, of chemistry' at North Country'
Community College. As part of her new job at
AAI, she is evaluating slx years of water quality data
taken from 21 lakes in NY’s Hamilton County'. *
Elizabeth Bell is in Truckee, CA, teaching ele¬
mentary school. * Lori Ludington and Ryan
Tranquilla exchanged vows on November 21 at
the Presidio Chapel in San Francisco. Ryan is pro¬
gram associate for Poets and Writers Inc. in San
Francisco, where the newlyweds live. Lori is prod¬
uct manager for Berkeley Systems. # To clear up a
garbled item in the summer column. Sherry
Pelkey Roper (ropers99@alum.darden.edu)
informs us that she received her MBA from
Darden, the Business School at UVA. She has start¬
ed a new job as assistant product manager for
Dentyne Gum at the candy division ofWarner
Lambert Co., a major pharmaceuticals firm in
Morris Plains, NJ. Husband Chris
(croper@academic-travel.com) is now “all but dis¬
sertation” at UVA in a Ph.D. program in govern¬
ment and foreign affairs. While working on his dis¬
sertation research, he is working from their new
home in Mt. Tabor, NJ, for a DC-based company,
Academic Travel Abroad. They spent time in
Cambodia in the summer and Chris was also in
Mongolia. * Seven Middlebury grads got MBAs
from Tuck-Dartmouth in June: Bill Tice, Margaret
Terry ’94. Arthur Henderson, Mike Reynal ’88,
John Rudge, Christer Wollmar ’93, and Chris
McChesney ’93. Bill Tice (tice5@excite.com) is
“looking forward to life in Boston, where the
beach and ski slopes are much more proximate
than either London or New York.”
Class Secretaries: Anne C. Harris
(aharris@jiienloschool.org), 650 Alameda
de las Pulgas, San Carlos, CA 94071;
and Dan Suratt (daniel.suratt@ibc.com),
111 Hicks St., #2B, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Erik Carlson (ecarlsonl999@kellogg.nwu.edu):
“After graduating from Kellogg Business School, I
headed to Alaska for a month to grow a beard, live
in a tent, and simply relax. My adventures there
included hiking Denali’s backcountry, navigating
the Gulkana’s whitewaters by raft, and sea-kayaking
through ice-bergs off the Kenai Peninsula. I ’m now
living in NYC and working as a manager in
American Express’ Internet group. Please visit!”
Angel Diaz recently opened his own shop, Solo
Flamenco, in Miami, FL. He sells flamenco/Spanish
dance accessories and souvenirs from Spain. Check
out his Web site: www.soloflamenco.com. * Steve
Prescott is in Boston, doing technology consulting
for various firms in the area. # Chicago attorney
Amanda dayman (clayman@mwe.com) and
Thomas Levenberg were married on August 31,
1997. * Gabriela Gergely and Michael Romano
exchanged vows on September 12, 1998, at the
Hotel Washington in DC. Gabriela is an immigra¬
tion attorney in VA: Michael is a telecommunica¬
tions attorney for Swidler & Bertin in DC. * The
October 10,1998, marriage of Mary' Ruth Rzeszut
and Timothy Craig took place in Seattle. Mary
Ruth is a research dietitian for the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center;Tim is an
import pricing manager for K-Line America ship¬
ping company. * On June 12, Gracyn Robinson
and Peter Whitman were married in
Kennebunkport, ME. Living in Boston, she’s an
80 Middlebury Magazine
PROFILE
HAILING A TAXI
C AROLYN Kuebler ’90 is the editor in chief of Rain Taxi , a literary jour¬
nal featuring book reviews, poems, interviews, and short stories. Created
in 1995, the magazine, based in Minneapolis, is nonprofit and is devoted
to “the healthy exchange of ideas about books.” Kuebler, an editor and writer,
founded the magazine three years ago.To find out more, visit Rain Taxis Web site at
www.rain taxi.com or write to Rain Taxi , P.O. Box 3840, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
stopped by. Hollis is the librarian at the National
Cathedral School in DC. * Kristen Roeder
Smith has taken a new job as assistant director of
legislative and public affairs at America’s Blood
Centers, an association of community blood centers
across the country. # The marriage of MeriBeth
Hurley and Jeffrey Russo took place on April 10.
They honeymooned in HI and are at home in
Canaan, NY. MeriBeth is with Novalis in Albany;
Jeff is with Berkshire Farm Center in Canaan. #
Caroline Clutz and Mark Keeney exchanged
vows on June 18 at Deer Valley Resort in Park
City, UT.
interior designer for an architecture firm and he’s
an account manager. * Chip Muller and Dayna
Safran were married in VT this July. Chip is a tele¬
vision journalist in Boston and Providence. Dayna
entered Harvard’s graduate program in education
this fall.
94
Class Secretaries: Kristen Roeder Smith
(kristen_smith@ibm.net), 10401
Grosvenor PL, 141012, Rockville, MD
20852; and Scott Godes
(sgodes@flol.com), 1320 N. Veitch St., 411837,
Arlington, VA 22201.
Hey, all! It was great to see everyone who could
make it back to Middlebury for the reunion. Was it
just me, or did it seem like the current crop of
Midd kids have it pretty good—the Grille, a warm
hockey arena, and a paved A-lot? It was a great
weekend, good catching up with everyone. Did
everyone see the streakers take a late night stroll
through the barn? The guilty parties will remain
nameless, but let’s just say that some things never
change (think back to the Senior Week bonfire). #
Chris Kemple and wife Jinmi left Seoul, Korea,
this summer and moved to Philadelphia, where
Chris entered Wharton’s MBA program this fall. #
Greg Boosin also moved to Philadelphia to start
his MBA at Wharton. * Ben Curtis moved to
Prague in July to continue researching for his Ph.D.
dissertation in political science. * Chris Carter,
who is writing a novel, joins Ben in Prague. *
After five years in the NY Change Management
practice in Andersen Consulting, Teaque Lenahan
(teaque_lenahan@hotmail.com) has returned to his
home turf to pursue his MBA at the Kellogg
School at Northwestern University. He is happy to
report that the nonprofit corporation he and Ed
Soh cofounded is running well without their direct
involvement and thanks everyone for the support
they have given to it. * Joining Teaque at Kellogg
is Mandy Levenberg. Before leaving for school,
Mandy planned to climb Macchu Picchu in Peru,
exhaust all outdoor possibilities in CA, and spend
two weeks in Tuscany, Italy. Before returning to
Nepal and Tibet for two months, Phoebe Folger
visited with Mandy and Vanessa Branch over the
summer. In September, Phoebe started to work on
a master’s in international public health at Boston
Univ. * Brian and Amy Young’89
DeChristopher have bought a house in Concord,
MA. Brian, who works for Putnam Investments in
Boston, has set up a Middlebury College group on
PlanetAll.com to keep in touch with his
Middlebury friends. * After finishing his second
year of medical school, Josh Rucker went on
vacation for the month of June, but first he hung
out with Ken Mansfield (who is practicing cor¬
porate litigation) in HI for 10 days. * Jeff
Herriott moved to Buffalo this summer to pursue
his Ph.D. in music. * Sandy Durst moved to NJ
to join a law practice. # Stacey Gannon left
Seatde to start a master’s program in museum stud¬
ies at George Washington Univ. in DC. # Johanna
Chapin left DC to begin a master’s degree in pub¬
lic health, with a concentration in reproductive and
women’s health, at the Univ. of MI, Ann Arbor. “I
have enjoyed seeing more of Jen Waaler and
Lindsey Holmes Solorzano ’95, who are also in the
Midwest (IL).” # Lu Zhengyuan recently joined
Enhance Reinsurance as a VP. * Brendan
O’Leary recently defended his thesis in organic
chemistry at MIT and received his doctorate. In
July, he began work at a biotech company, I GEN
International, in Gaithersburg, MD. # Jennifer
Partan Hansen was not only with us at reunion,
but that same weekend she ran her first marathon
in Burlington—the Vermont City Marathon. She
reports that it was hot and hard, but a blast. #
While at the reunion, Lesley Tomion, who is
teaching in Brookline, MA, gleefully told us work¬
ing stiffs that she was enjoying her summer-long
vacation, doing some traveling around the “Rust
Belt” and Canada. * Malgorzata “Goska”
Gnoinska-Heusch moved to San Francisco to
get her M.A. in Japanese literature at Berkeley. She
would love to hear from Midd alums in the area.
Goska plans to do free-lance translating, while
applying to grad schools in international relations.
# Bo Wilmer defends his thesis in November and
then will graduate with a master’s in biology. In the
meantime, he has started his own GIS company—
telecommuting from Bozeman, MT. * Keith
Kelly recently retired as a professional Montana
fishing guide in order to attend graduate school. #
Brendan Donahue, of South Easton, MA, is the
new head men’s soccer coach at Curry College in
Milton, MA.The previous two years, Brendan was
assistant men’s soccer coach atVassar College. #
Meg Wright is an administrative assistant in the
theater arts division at Boston University’s School
for the Arts. She’s also a performing artist who has
done a lot of stand-up comedy gigs, such as
Katharine Hepburn in My Head, which was part of
BU’s Festival of New Plays last March. She was
quoted recently in Boston’s Bay Windows: “When I
moved to Boston in 1994,1 started to write down
thoughts about my coming out and they’ve
become the basis for this one-woman show
[Katharine Hepburn in My Head ]—my thoughts on
coming out, on trying to meet women in Boston,
on all the insecurities and anxieties that come
along with dating and trying to establish yourself
in some sort of community.” * In ME, Joel
Thompson is a new associate with Preti,
Flaherty, Beliveau, Pahios A' Haley. Joel earned his
law degree from Harvard Law School in 1997. *
Brendan Collins, who graduated from Vanderbilt
Medical School in May, is a surgical intern at
Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. * In DC, Lori
Frolich (lfrohlil@aha.org) recently hosted a
cocktail party; Scott Godes and Hollis Rudiger
Class Secretaries: Wendy Russell (imts-
sell@jemiboston.com), 28 Windsor Rd.,
Somerville, 1VIA 02144; and Doug
Rogers (djrogers@umich.edu), 820 Fuller
St., 44303, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.
95
Please send us news! Here’s what we’ve heard late¬
ly: Kara Ryan has been writing and editing for
Outside Magazine in Santa Fe, NM. * As program
coordinator of the Adirondack Mountain Club,
Megan Smith teaches outdoor education courses,
helps to operate two wilderness lodges, and con¬
ducts extensive trails, conservation, educational out¬
ings, and natural history programs. * Wright
Frank (adk4143@yahoo.com) is in Morocco with
the Peace Corps. # After graduating from New
York Medical College in May, Greg Friberg
(drgfri@aol.com) moved to Lebanon, NH, to start
his residency in internal medicine at Dartmouth
Hitchcock Medical Center. # Mollie Knox fin¬
ished a summer internship at a NYC law firm and
returned to the Univ. ofWI this fall to complete
her final year of law school. # Author Robert
Cormier and screenwriter Jennifer Sarja collabo¬
rated on a film version of Cormier’s The Bumblebee
Flies Anyway, a novel Jennifer first read while in
school. She transferred to NYU and got her mas¬
ter’s in dramatic writing in 1995. Robert Cormier
was a participant in the Bread LoafWriters’
Conference in 1968. * Mark Podhajsky (mpod-
hajsky@getty.edu) writes that he’s working at the J.
Paul Getty Museum in the dazzling new Getty
Center perched high above L.A. He works on spe¬
cial projects for the Museum. After three years in
L.A., he says, “I wouldn’t think of living anywhere
else!” * Dave Medow is working in the television
business in L.A. * Damien Saccani is a director
of development in the motion picture group at
Universal Pictures in L.A. Damien reports that
Alec Perkins is teaching in San Francisco, Tom
Kuchler is at Chase in NYC. Anna Hart is at
Johns Hopkins, Winfield Campbell is going to
med school this fall. Justin Burley is working for
an investment banking firm in London, Dan
Richards is working in Chicago, Kelly Hefner is
working for the Discovery Channel in DC, and
Rob Perez (in L.A.) has sold something to
Working Title films and is working on a television
project and another unproduced screenplay. *
Erica DeVos (devos@smtp.democrats.org), who
got a master’s in foreign service in May from
Georgetown, has returned to the Democratic
National Committee to work on the 2000
Convention. # With a new master’s in environ¬
mental management from Duke, Keith Arnold
(arnold_keith@homiail.com) went to work for an
environmental consulting firm in DC in August. *
Wendy Ekman (brighton@sni.net) graduated
from Case Western Reserve School of Law. Now a
public defender for the State of CO, she reports
that she “could not be happier.” She’s rooming with
Fall
Seth Greett ’97 and Helen Motter ’96 climbing
near Bozeman, MT
Meredith Frinsko in Denver, where Meredith
works for the Denver Bar Assoc. Wendy reports that
she often sees Denver residents Ben Freiberg.
Jessica Fiedler ’96, and Tracey Grant. * Jen
Mallette (jmallett@student.lesley.edu) is happy to
be back in the Boston area after two years in
Madison, WI.This summer she started the M.Ed.
program in elementary education at Lesley College.
* Andy Cantor is working at Mt. Snow in VT. #
Arnold Lewis is living in Tacoma, WA, teaching
Spanish at Charles Wright Academy, and coaching
soccer. He met up with Mike Hume recently in
WA for the Paul Simon/Bob Dylan concert. *
Sasha Sedriks left Seattle, where he was doing art
gallery work, to attend art graduate school in San
Francisco. # Steve Engle is at Victoria Univ. in
Wellington, NZ, doing a masters in geography. *
Jeff Inglis (jeff.inglis@pobox.com) (www.jeffin-
glis.com) has been working on a masters in jour¬
nalism at the Univ. of MO-Columbia by doing an
independent project about small towns in New
Zealand. He hoped to get together with the family
of Sarah Teele ’94 in Christchurch in July and had
been in touch with Jen Hazen, who has been
researching a mine in central Asia for her Ph.D. in
geography at the Univ. of CO-Boulder. Jeff sent
news of Amy Young (in New York this summer,
doing research towards her Ph.D. in geology at
UCLA). Denise Kmetzo (in Boston, studying
public health), Matt Hodges (in Boston working
for Brown Brothers), Will Dobson (a student at
Harvard, has been in China), Jon McDonagh
(back in VT, finishing his studies at UVM Med
School). Emily Stone (working at the Burlington
Free Press), and Kara Sweeney (working in opera¬
tions at Sugarbush until she transferred to
Killington). Returning to the U.S. for six weeks in
August, Jeff was off for six months in Antarctica to
work for the newspaper run by the U.S. Antarctic
Research Program, based at McMurdo Station on
the Ross Ice Shelf. * “After much thought,” Kyle
Winder (kyledriver@aol.com) “decided to put my
English degree to good use and joined the Air
Force as a pilot. Graduated Officer Training School
April 9. Graduated the Aerospace Basic Course
May 7. Finished Introductory Flight Training July
26. Stationed at Maxwell AFB for the moment. Go
on to USAF Pilot Training September 17 at
Columbus AFB, MS. Looking to fly the B1 -B or
C-17.” * Mia Johnson and Tyler Newton were
married in MN on June 26. * Carine
Falkenberg and Mike Lauterbach ’96 exchanged
vows in Oslo, Norway, on July 2. * After finishing
his MBA at CEIBS in Shanghai, China, Chris
Romer (romerchris@yahoo.com) is back in
Europe as a software consultant for SAP in
Heidelberg. * David Diamonon has been in var¬
ious countries of the former Soviet Union for
about four years. He wrote in early summer: “I
have found myself in Ukraine for two years. After
working for the International Finance Corp. in dif¬
ferent cities for a year, Oliver Truog and I con¬
verged on Kiev over 1997 and 1998. Sara
Morgan Truog founded Kiev’s first English lan¬
guage theater, while teaching toddlers at an inter¬
national school. Sash Schmemann graced us with
his presence for several months last spring. Sash will
receive a master’s in international relations from the
London School of Economics this summer. The
Environmental Research Institute of Michigan
hired me to manage the finances for their USAID-
funded project in Ukraine for conversion of spy
technology for commercial use. But the best part of
it all is founding Speeding Lisa, Kiev’s latest and
greatest expatriate rock band! We’ll play our fourth
gig at the Embassy 4th of July celebration. If we
ever lose our drummer, we’ll consider taking on
Jason Dutil ’96, who recently relocated to Kiev
from Almaty, Kazakhstan, with Deloitte and
Touche. Hope everyone’s doing well.”
Class Secretaries: Jennifer J. Varney (jen-
varney@yahoo.com), 19 Ashland St.,
#3, Somerville, MA 02144; and Mohan
Renganathan (mrenganathan@modem-
poppe.com), 108 E. 96th St., #6D, New York, NY
10128.
At the Univ. of CA, San Francisco, Elizabeth
Prescott (epresco@itsa.ucsf.edu), has received a
NSF Predoctoral Award. # Brad Corrigan (brad-
corr@calldispatch.com) and his band, Dispatch
(formerly One Fell Swoop) went on tour this fall.
To learn more about their new album, “Four-Day
Trials,” check out their Web site at www.calldis-
patch.com, which was set up by Taylor Mahony.
* Tracey Wilkerson is still at Outward Bound in
ME. Her beautiful dog, Pogi, was injured in a car
accident, but is recovering well. * Colleen Oates
is on the North Shore of MA, working in historical
preservation and seeking further employment in
that field. # Kali Azzi finished her master’s at
American Univ. and is living in Jerusalem, where
she is a coordinator for the Middle East North
Africa NGO Working Group. While commuting to
work, she recently ran into Sammy Khalil, who
spent the summer in Palestine working for a
Palestinian human rights monitoring organization.
* Adrienne Yun met Stephen Shore in Korea,
where she was teaching English as a Fulbright
scholar and working in the president’s office of
Korean Air Lines. Stephen graduated from the U.S.
Military Academy and served a three-year tour of
duty in Korea. On August 16,1998, the two were
married at the West Point Chapel in NY. After a
honeymoon in Kauai, the newlyweds are living in
Enterprise, AL.
Class Secretaries: Karen Lewis
(kleim@sierrahealth.com), 216 E. Cross
St., Baltimore, MD 21230; and Rob
Birdsong (robert.t.birdsong@ac.com), 150
Stamford St., #407, Boston, MA 02114.
Helen Froelich (helen_froelich@yahoo.com)
writes: “Life in China is treating me well. I am
enjoying my job at Sinofile (check out Web site at
www.sinopolis.com.cn). I’m playing on two ice
hockey teams here—one foreign, one Chinese—
and plan to stay here for at least another year. I
recendy went to Manila for a men’s 5 hockey tour¬
nament. We did pretty well, despite having to play
on a 1/2 size rink in the middle of a shopping cen¬
ter. I had a great time and made it onto national
TV for being the only woman in the tournament!”
* Lilia Gerberg (thegerby@yahoo.com) is a
water sanitation health educator in the eastern
province of Zambia. Her address is Lilia Gerberg,
U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, PO. Box 50707
Lusaka, Zambia, Southern Africa. * Josh Levy
(joshlevy@yahoo.com) is “still living among the
chic and unshowered in Paris.” * Brooke Capps
is reportedly living outside NYC, recuperating
from her Peace Corps time in Ukraine. # Lara
Wagner traveled through Latin America before
returning to Washington State to begin medical
school this fall. * Heidi Hopkins is a flight coor¬
dinator at Raytheon, accruing hours towards her
pilot license. She finished first-level courses at an
intensive flight school, and is based in Wichita, KS,
for now. * Katie Hosford completed a stellar first
year at UW law in Seattle, won her section compe¬
titions in Moot Court, and was looking forward to
a summer internship with a judge. Katie and Tracy
Nolan and Rachel Odell were in Seattle for a
reunion on Whidbey Island! Rachel continues to
write for the Jackson Hole Daily News, covering the
environmental beat. * Amy Nichols left her job
at Chase, went to Paris for two weeks, then took a
new job at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in the
asset management group, where she’s marketing
private equity funds and hedge funds. She writes
that a recent column reported she was solving the
Euro crisis.“Wish that were true, but it’s not!” #
Heather Thompson (hbtl7@excite.com) is
teaching high school history in Portland, ME. She
was recently visited by Cam Brown ’99, who is
working as a nanny. * Living in the DC area,
Henock Gebreamlak (henock@patriot.net) is an
information systems analyst for the Federal Reserve
System. Last year he had a wonderful time visiting
his family and friends back in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. # Preparing for her new teaching posi¬
tion at the Crane School this fall in Santa Barbara,
Laura Sanchez spent the summer studying
Spanish at Midd. ♦ Christina Papanestor is in
Santa Barbara, working at a chamber music pre¬
senting organization. * Stephanie Pindyck
enjoyed the summer at Bread Loaf. She continues
at National Public Radio as a producer for the
Living on Earth program and as developer for the
program’s Web page as well. * John Stephenson
is a hiking guide in Aspen. * Jon Nass is in New
Orleans, preparing to apply to dental school. *
Kate Kline and Neil Matthews just moved into a
new house in Burlington,VT. It even has a picket
fence. Enough said! * Jackie Pelton, Elizabeth
Frazier, Amy Flanders, Laura Wright, Todd
Hankinson, Jeff Rea, Matt Ralston, Andy
Jessen, Rob Birdsong, and Brian Hubbard
enjoyed a weekend of water skiing and boating at
the Hubbard home in Syracuse. Everyone contin¬
ues to do well and Jackie is looking forward to
moving back to Boston. * Chante Wiegand.
who works in client services at State Street Global
Advisors, has moved into a fun new apartment in
Newton. * Mark Felton and Joe Birbiglia are
living in Somerville. Mark works for Fast Company
magazine. * Carolyn Stewart and Olivia
82 Middlebury Magazine
Hooper are living in Allston. Carolyn works
for Harvard’s University’s special programs group.
♦ Joining Jonathan Tunney on Jon’s Island, ME,
over the 4th of July were Brad Schenkel, Jon
Schonberg, Ben Lucas ’96, Derry Mason, Howie
Young ’96, Greg Carolan, Paige Budelsky ’98,
Alex Blum, and Brett Zinober. There was much
fun, food, laughter, and swimming. #
Congratulations to Heather and Craig Stouffer,
who were married Memorial Day weekend and
left for their honeymoon in Tahiti. Details will fol¬
low in the next issue.
Class Secretaries: Nate Johnson (njohn-
son@niiddlebury.cchi), 13 Washington
St., #3, Middlebury, VT 05753; Katie
Whittlesey (k_whittlesey@hotniail.coni),
34 White Pi, # 1, Brookline, MA 02445.
The San Francisco Weekly recently named Farley’s
“Best Cafe,” as well as “Best place to sit in a win¬
dow seat and not see Starbucks.” Jessica Cox-
whose position at Farley’s is “Angel of Coffee”-
writes: “Any MiddKids in the area should totally
check us out. It’s so fun when people from
Middlebury come in!” # Aubrey Cattell (acat-
tell@bofasecurities.com) and Tad Gunkelman ’97
(tgunkelm@lehman.com) are still greasing the
wheels of capitalism in San Francisco. When their
corporate masters give them a moments respite,
they find time to toss the Frisbee or jump out of
an airplane. # Lizza Morales writes: “I’m having
the time of my life in the City of Angels! My days
are spent working at a top talent agency, while my
nights are constandy booked with events to attend,
from premieres to award shows. My biggest prob¬
lem is figuring out what to wear. Highlights of the
year: Attending Drew Barrymore and Courtney
Love’s New Year’s bash, bumping into Jon Mone
(who works at a competing talent agency), and
attending the private screening of Star Wars at
Skywalker Ranch.” # Former President Bryan
Stratton has been exiled to Vallejo, CA, where he
is plotting his next conquest with his closest advis¬
ers. To pass the time, he spends his days at
Computec Media USA, where he gets a large pay-
check for playing videogames. * Tanya
Boudakian reports: “I’ve been working as Sirio
Maccioni’s assistant at the famed New York restau¬
rant Le Cirque 2000 for the past year, hobnobbing
with celebrities and the “ladies who lunch” in my
role as French- and Italian-speaking peon to the
stars. * Melissa Loeben is attending Columbia
Univ. this fall to pursue a master’s in psychology. *
Now living in NYC, Lela Moore is an editorial
assistant at Workman Publishing. # Lauren
Brown finished her master’s in education in
Boston and moved to NYC to teach first grade at
Sacred Heart. # While working on her Ph.D. at
Princeton. Irina Marinov has received the 18th
annual Andrew E. Nuquist Award for Outstanding
Student Research on a Vermont Topic for her
Midd senior physics thesis submission, “Wind-gen¬
erated Oscillations in Lake Champlain.” Her thesis
was cited as an outstanding project that advanced
existing atmospheric models on the lake. * Travis
Greig (travisg@artpace.org) is doing his MFA in
sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago. * In New
Zealand, Emily Henlein is working for the
Imperial Chemical Industry, (safety, health, and
environment dept.). During summer she traveled
through Portugal and Morocco and visited the U.S.
♦ Sherr Lo writes: “Living in China has prepared
me well for camping.This summer. I’ll be traveling
around southwest China a bit. Hope to go camping
near the border of Tibet. Will go to the border of
Vietnam and go water rafting. Then, if all goes well,
I’ll be moving to Hong Kong for a job. If the job
doesn’t work out, Beijing or Shanghai.” # In
Ecuador, Shruthi Mahalingaiah continues work
on her Watson project. # As usual, rumors contin¬
ue to swirl about the lost souls of David Matthew
Janiak Thomas and Erik Davis Hodge, who
were last seen crossing the friendly border between
Liechtenstein and Austria. They will be publishing
their travel journals through Houghton-Mifflin
upon their return to the States. # Now speech
writing for Senator Chafee, Megan Sowards
(megan.sowards@chafee.senate.gov) has answered
the siren call of Capitol Hill. * Speaking of DC, a
considerable contingent of MiddKids was seen
roasting in the triple digit heat on the banks of the
Potomac July 4. Hosting the ripper were local leg¬
ends Mike Lauze ’99. Libby Erwin, Megan
Sowards, Alyson Cucci, and Madelyn
Carpenter. In attendance were Nick Lauriat,
Matt Coburn, Chuck Edwards, Jen Jensen,
Manda Gonzalez, Nat Coughlin, Ande
Breault. “Congratulations” Kate Barch, yours
truly, and a ton of ’94s, ’95s, and ’99s. # After
working for a year as a translator in Brazil, Dan
Mack moved in August to DC, where he will pur¬
sue a master’s in foreign service at Georgetown. #
Rebecca Sanaa left her internship at the Star
Energy Project of the EPA to become personal
assistant to Hugh Newell Jacobsen, the
Georgetown architect whom she “met in text” at
Midd. Becky bikes to work and plays hockey in
Fairfax. ♦ Ben LaRocco is making his artistic
mark early. Already a known name in his home¬
town of Gouldsboro, ME, Ben’s landscape and fig¬
ure oils were recently displayed at The Lemon Tree
in Bangor, ME. # Still finding the scoop around
Middlebury, Jen Jensen is a reporter for the
Addison Independent. Recent articles have included
an expose on brown recluse spiders and a thorough
examination of Jay Parini’s new book. # Jen Close
recently accepted a position in the Dean of Student
Affairs Office at Middlebury. # Kat Inglis left
Portland, ME, to attend Vermont Law School this
fall, for a master’s in environmental law. She has vis¬
ited Abby Manzella, Tricia Zlotek, and Bree
Arsenault in Boston. * On March 20,Jana
Metevier ’99 and Douglas Beagley were married
in Middlebury, where they now live. Doug is
employed by Mt.Abe Union High School. # One
final note. If anyone in the Class of 1998 has any
notes they would like to share, send me an e-mail
so I can include your stories.
Class Secretaries: Melissa Finessing
(melissa.pmessing. 99@alunmi. middle¬
bury. edu), 21 South St., Middlebury, VT
05153; and Peter Steinberg (peter.stein-
berg.99@alunini.middlebury.edu), Box 187, 3600
Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 91904.
A computer program created by Suzanne Minott
has been applied by the College to streamline the
process of matching new students with first-year
seminars. In recent years about 85 percent of first-
year students were placed in seminars that were
either their first or second choices. Using Suzanne’s
program, which she developed for her senior thesis
in math, 99 percent of the students who registered
by telephone got their first or second choice semi¬
nars. * “My internship at NASA this summer,”
reports David Grass (grass@spectra.gsfc.nasa.gov),
“turned into a job in the fall working on the
Human Health Initiative, part of which attempts to
July 4 festivities at Cape May “campus” (see 1999
column)
predict malaria epidemics using meteorological
satellite data. After December 22,1 will be going to
Santiago, Chile, on a Fulbright Scholarship.” #
Matthew Landfield (matthewlandfield@ hot-
mail.com) is working as an actor and filmmaker in
NYC. He was recently cast in a small speaking
role in Ed Harris’s new movie, Pollock, about artist
Jackson Pollock. “I got to work with Ed, who was
very nice.Val Kilmer, Marcia Gay Harden, and
John Heard, who were also on set, were all cool,
too. Ed Harris’s wife, Amy Madigan, is also in the
movie. Also, my senior thesis film-video project,
Defying Gravity, recently won second prize in the
Sierra Nevada Student Film and Video contest in
Incline Village, NV. On August 11, Defying Gravity
was screened in Manhattan (Second Ave. and
Second St.) as part of the New Filmmakers Film
Series at Anthology Film Archives.” * Now
working at B.T. Alex Brown in NYC, Susan
Givens (givens@panther.middlebury.edu) is living
on the Upper East Side with Martha Alexander
(Goldman Sachs) and Mimi Doggett (Sibson
Consulting). # While traveling the country after
graduation, Ron Allen (rallen@panther.middle-
bury.edu) met someone named Mark in New
Orleans and the two decided to move to San
Francisco to live together and start up a sandwich
shop. Writing in June: “So far we have been in
business for a week and it has gone great. The
shop is called 12", and is located at the base of
Nob Hill. Mark and I welcome all Midd alums to
stay with us—and if they mention that they are
Midd grads at 12", they’ll receive a free foot long
on us.” # Peter Steinberg was a protein chemist
for Wyeth Lederle Vaccines (Rochester, NY) until
starting medical school at the UPenn School of
Medicine in August. # Jana Metevier and
Douglas Beagley ’98 were married March 20 at
Ilsley Memorial Baptist Church in Middlebury.
Doug works at Mount Abraham Union High
School. * July 4 festivities at the Cape May cam¬
pus involved John Couch, C.J. Diamond, John
Overbay, Scott Dudley, Charles Macintosh,
Ben Bedford, Forrest Westin, Pete Steinberg,
Matt Saxton, Lindsey Huenink, Lindsay
Ritter, Kristine Kraushaar, Liz Cassidy, Meg
Hankins, and Jess Foote. (See photo) # Stay in
touch! Send news to the addresses at the head of
this column!
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Fall 83
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
ENGLISH
In April, Vaughn Ramsey Ward (M.A. ’67)
(vaughnward@aol.com) was inducted into the
Academy ofWomen of Achievement by the
Assembly and Senate of the State of NY. For more
than 30 years,Vaughn has been collecting, restoring,
and presenting the history and culture of New York
States North Country. She has edited several
Adirondack folklore collections and has written
two books— I Always Tell the Truth (Even If I Have to
Lie to Do It) and Six-Foot Man Eatin* Chicken. She
created the Saratoga County Folklife and Oral
History Program and the Lower Adirondack
Regional Folklife Project. She served as the major
consultant for the PBS 1996 documentary Music
from the Heart of the Adirondacks. In 1998, Vaughn
and husband George received a rarely-given
Evergreen Award from the Traditional Arts of
Upstate NY, in recognition of their contributions
to and support of the people of the Adirondack
foothills. * Herbert Martin (M.Litt. 72) (mart-
inh@checkov.hm.udayton.edu) recendy won first
prize in the Mellen Press Poetry Competition for
his long narrative poem, “The Log of the
Vigilante.” He also placed first in the Piccadilly
Poetry Reading Contest, which allows him a read¬
ing debut in London in October. His newest vol¬
ume of poems is Galileo’s Suns (Bottom Dog Press
at Firelands College, Huron, OH). # This
September, Patricia Phaneuf Alexander (M.A.
’94) and husband Randolph moved to London,
where Patricia is working for the Archbishop of
Canterbury for one year.
FRENCH
The Brunswick (ME) Area Student Aid Fund
endowed a scholarship fund in memory of
Malcolm D. Clarke (M.A. ’29), who taught for¬
eign languages at North Yarmouth Academy after
his retirement to Harpswell in 1963. He died on
September 29,1998, at the age of 96. * After 33
years of service to the Univ. of Rochester, Charles
Carlton (M.A. ’51) (carlton@ling.rochester.edu)
retired as prof, of modern languages and cultures
last spring. In addition to teaching French language
courses, he focused his work on Romance linguis¬
tics, including Romanian. * Merton Bland
(M.A. ’56) (merton@erols.com) is back in this
country after serving for 18 months as a U.S.
Information Agency English Teaching Fellow in
Vietnam. After his retirement from the foreign
service, he earned another M.A. (in linguistics) and
a graduate certificate in TESOL, then went abroad
(Germany, China, Malaysia, Korea, and Vietnam) to
teach English. * Mel Yoken (’59, ’63), of the Univ.
of MA Dartmouth, has published a third book in a
series entitled Entretiens Quebecois. Written entirely
in French, the book consists of detailed interviews
with nine contemporary Quebec writers. #
Knighted by the French government on May 1,
Donna Michels Czarnecki (M.A. 71) is now a
“Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academique.” In
1997, she was selected by the American Assoc, of
Teachers of French as Outstanding French Teacher
in the Nation on the secondary level. * Patricia
Albers (M.A. 72) (bariolee@aol.com) recently
published a biography of the photographer and
revolutionary Tina Modotti: Shadows, Fire, Snow: The
Life of Tina Modotti (Clarkson Potter). * Elizabeth
Richardson Viti (74) was recently named the
Edwin T. Johnson and Cynthia Shearer Johnson
84 Middlebury Magazine
Distinguished Teaching Chair in the Humanities at
Gettysburg College in PA. # Brother Robert
Green (M.A. 76) has been appointed headmaster
of Malden Catholic High School. He was previous¬
ly assistant principal of academics at St.John’s Prep
in Danvers, MA. # Upon her retirement from
teaching at the Massanutten Military Academy last
spring, Paulette Maggiolo (D.M.L. 76) received
the first Woodstock (VA) Rotary Club Teacher of
the Year Award. * Paul Gery (M.A. 77) teaches
German at Arlington High School in
LaGrangeville, NY. He lives in New Windsor with
wife Donna and son Marc. # Lizbeth Huyer
Herrick (M.A. 77) recently led the Liverpool
(NY) Central School 150-member marching band
on a trip to Bordeaux, France. A former French
teacher, Lizbeth is the school’s assistant superintend¬
ent. # Roy (Chip) Dupuy (M.A. ’80) (yupchip
@microgear.net) writes: “I have lost all contact
with Middies who participated in Paris school,
1979-1980. Is there someone out there who might
remember me? I worked at the Taipei American
School for many years, teaching ESL and French.
I’m retired now, but I retain fond memories of
Middlebury and TAS. Next year I plan to return to
Taiwan and other points in Asia where I hope to
go back to teaching. Retirement is fine, but it does
get boring. I urge everyone to do some work
abroad. It’ll open your mind.” ♦ Barbara
Appleby (M.A. ’83), of North Yarmouth, ME, has
been promoted to VP of retirement and financial
planning at NorthStar Retirement Strategies in
Portland. # Living in South Philadelphia with hus¬
band David, Pamela Powles (M.A. French ’83;
M.A. Spanish ’91) reports that her three children—
Cassandra (12), Patricia (7), and Nathaniel (2)—are
all learning French from their “maman.” * Megan
Carroll Shea (’87-’88) (mcs@carrollassoc.com)
lives in WeUesley, MA, with husband Timothy and
children Aisling (2 1/2) and Eoin (2 mos.).An arts
attorney with her own practice (CarroU Associates),
Megan is also a law prof, at New England School
of Law. She continues to dance with two smaU
dance companies in Boston. # A fiiU-time French
teacher at St. Hilda’s and St. Hugh’s Episcopal
School in NYC, Cynthia Crumlish (M.A. ’88)
(cynbc@ earthlink.net) is also a professional actress.
For the month of July she was working at the
Globe Theatre in London.
GERMAN
Jesuit Father G. Donald Pantle (M.A. ’64) recent¬
ly celebrated the 50th anniversary of his joining the
Society of Jesus. He teaches German and Spanish at
the Univ. of Scranton, where he is associate campus
minister. * Ilse Graf Raymond (M.A. ’83)
retired in 1996 from teaching French, Spanish, and
German, “but stiU studying Japanese. Started new
life, taking lots of art courses, joyfully doing water-
colors, swimming, and skiing.” # After living in
Germany for two years, Mary Scarbrough Hunt
(M.A. ’92) returned to grad school in the U.S. in
1998 for a master’s in library/information science at
the Univ. of MD, CoUege Park.
ITALIAN
In Bristol, RI, Natalie Lero Urban (M.A. 71)
teaches Italian at Cranston High School West,
where one of her Italian IV honors students recent¬
ly scored first place in the country on the National |
Italian exam.
JAPANESE
Conrad Chaffee (’96, ’98) (chaffee@alumni.mid-
dlebury.edu) writes: “Soredewa mata nihon de
aiinashyo!” He is spending the year in Japan.
SPANISH
James W. Robb (M.A. ’50), prof, emeritus of
Romance languages at George Washington Univ.,
has been elected to the Mexican Academy of
Letters in recognition of his scholarly studies of
Mexican poet Alfonso Reyes. # Keith McDuffie
(M.A. ’60) became prof, emeritus on May 1, fol¬
lowing 24 years of service in the dept, of Hispanic
languages and literatures, Univ. of Pittsburgh. He
writes that his most memorable Middlebury expe¬
riences were playing the role of Don Quijote in a
Spanish School production of Manuel de Falla’s
chamber opera, El retablo de Maese Pedro , directed
by the late Cuban cinematographer Nestor
Almendros, and the role of the befuddled husband
in Gregorio Martinez Sierra’s play, Sueho de una
noche de agosto , directed by Luis Baralt. # President
Clinton has named Brian O’Dwyer (M.A. ’67) to
the President’s Commission on White House
Fellowships. A partner with O’Dwyer and
Bernstein, a NYC litigation law firm, Brian was
appointed commissioner of the NYC Commission
on Human Rights by Mayor David Dinkins. ♦ Sr.
Angela Marie Ebberwein (M.A. ’69),VP of St.
Joseph’s Mercy Care Corp. of Atlanta, was recently
elected to the board of Mercy Medical, a multi¬
service healthcare organization in AL. # Ernest
Bio (M.A. 72) has been appointed assistant super¬
intendent of the Asbury Park, NJ, school district,
where he was originally hired as a Spanish teacher
in 1971. * Helen Woods (M.A. 72) reports
“great memories of Middlebury!” She has taught in
bilingual schools in Bolivia and Peru, taught
Spanish and French in Saugus, MA, and retired in
1994. Now she volunteers, teaching ESL to
Russian immigrants preparing for citizenship. #
Malcolm Kutash (M.A. 73) has joined SunTrust
Bank of Southwest FL as private banking manager
for the Olde Naples office. # Since 1983, the
scholarship of Ralph DiFranco (M.A. 74) has
centered on the preparation of first editions of 16th
century Spanish poetry manuscripts. With colleague
Jose Labrador, he has published 12 editions and 23
journal articles. In 1997 they were awarded an
NEH grant for $94,580 to produce a database of
this poetry. With the assistance of colleagues at
Berkeley, they created Bibliografta de la Poesia A urea,
which now includes over 75,000 first lines of
poems taken from more than 250 manuscripts and
books. A second NEH grant for $160,040 is
enabling the continuation of the project. * Now
head of the language dept, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal
School in Ridgeland, MS, Farrell Payne (M.A.
77) is state president of A.A.T.S.P/Tm finishing a
second master’s in ESL at the Univ. of Southern
MS and would like to spend a year teaching in
Russia. Any ideas?” * Carol Weston Ackerman
(M.A. 79), author of a variety of books addressing
adolescent girls’ issues, recently revised and updated
her 1985 book, Girltalk:AII the StuffYour Sister Never
Told You. Carol and husband Robert (78, 79)—
who met at Middlebury—have two daughters,
Elizabeth (11) and Emme (9). ♦ In Fontainebleau,
France, Betty Flasch (bflasch@ibm.net) (M.A. '80)
has been appointed acting director of career man¬
agement service for INSEAD. * Patricia
Corcoran Thomas (M.A. ’83) (pthomas@uwsu-
per.edu) was recently awarded a fellowship for out¬
standing teaching at the Univ. ofWI-Superior,
where she is an assistant prof. She and husband
John live in Duluth. # Marcia Alban (M.A. ’84)
visited the Holy Land last December with the
Highland Park Strings, playing five concerts in cele¬
bration of the 50th anniversary of the bar mitzvah
of Larry Block, founder and manager of the
Highland Park Strings. # Terri Knoblauch
Atkinson (M.A. ’85) (terri9150@aol.com) would
love to hear from classmates of the early ’80s in the
Spanish School. “Over the years, I have referred
several language students to Middlebury’s summer
program. I loved it and I know they will, too.” #
Bridgewater (VA) College prof. Lynn McGovern-
Waite (M.A. ’85) was one of 15 university profes¬
sors in the U.S. selected to participate in the first
NEH Summer Institute on 19th-Century Spain. #
Literary agent Laura Dail (M.A. ’88) specializes in
Latin American fiction and nonfiction. She repre¬
sents eminent novelists from Mexico and Spain, as
well as practical nonfiction for the U.S. Latino mar¬
ket. # Nicole Lepoutre (M.A. ’88) and Mark
Sherf were married on February 14 in Marblehead,
MA.They live in Salem and she teaches in the
Manchester-by-the-Sea school system. # George
Neri (M.A. ’90) has moved to Buffalo to be the
consumer finance operations specialist in the bank
card security department at HSBC Bank, USA. #
Frank and Kathy Dennehy Haubert (M.A. ’91)
welcomed son Tyler Mitchell on April 19. # The
November 21,1998, marriage of Anne Gingras
(M.A. ’92) and Kevin Kelly took place in Augusta,
ME. Anne is a Spanish teacher at Cony High
School. * Mike O’Connor (M.A. ’92) (mikeo-
connr@aol.com) and Nayade Carinao were mar¬
ried on March 20 in Temuco, Chile. Mike is a
medical interpreter at Brigham and Women’s
Hospital in Boston and Nayade is an internal audi¬
tor for Liberty Mutual. * Jeffrey Silva (M.A. ’93)
is a detective in the New Bedford, MA, Police
Dept. ♦ Wendy Birmingham Allerton (M.A.
’94) welcomed daughter Kendall Anne Allerton on
December 10, 1998. Daughter Kennelly Sarah
turned two in April. “We are enjoying family life
and wish all my classmates well.” * Kathleen
Murphy and Robert Bilsbury (M.A. ’94)
exchanged vows on October 17,1998, inTopsfield,
MA. Robert teaches Spanish at Manchester High
School. * A visiting instructor at Washington and
Lee Univ., Khamla Dhouti (M.A. ’94) is com¬
pleting her doctoral dissertation at the Univ. ofTX-
Austin. * Melissa O’Neill (M.A. ’94) has joined
the Mirick O’Connell law firm (Worcester, MA) as
an associate in the corporate law dept. # The mar¬
riage ofjulie Dobrow and Jason Rossi (M.A. ’94)
took place on January 2 in NYC. Thomas Breen
(M.A. ’94) attended the ceremony.Jason
(jrossi@transperfect.com) is director of the produc¬
tion group at TransPerfect Translations, Inc. *
Maria Italiano (M.A. ’96) has joined the foreign
language dept, of Gloucester Catholic High School
in Gloucester City, NJ. # Kimberly Lawless
Talbot (M.A. *97) has been teaching Spanish since
1995 at Revere (MA) High School. * Tara
Cocozza (’97, ’98) married Gary Duvall on
March 13. She teaches Spanish at the Beaver
Country Day School, Chestnut Hill, MA. * Maria
Pizzano (M.A. ’98) is a foreign language teacher
in the Pelham, NY, school district. # Spanish
teacher Sheri Petelle (’97, ’98) won the
Massachusetts Foreign Language Associations New
Teacher of the Year award in 1998. She teaches 4th
through 11 th graders in Manchester, MA.
OBITUARIES
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Dorothy Douglas Purdy. 100, of
&L Houston,TX, on July 15,1999. She was a
former advertising manager of Bonwit Teller and
Co. in Philadelphia. Survivors include sons Stuart
D. Purdy ’59 and William H. Purdy. She was prede¬
ceased by several Middlebury relatives, including
her husband, William H. Purdy Sr. 1926; her father,
William J. Douglas 1893; her mother, Mary
Dunshee Douglas 1893; her brother, Stuart D.
Douglas 1919; and her sister, Harriet Douglas
Seelye 1933.
Aimee Putnam Riker, 98, of Spencer, NY, on
June 18,1999. She taught high school English and
social studies for many years in Spencer. Elected the
first woman elder of the First Presbyterian Church,
she was also involved in community service,
hooked rugs, and remained physically active well
into her 90s. In 1990, she was named Senior
Citizen of the Year of Tioga County. She was the
widow of Leon W. Riker. Survivors include sons
Leon W. and Neil A. Riker, daughter Patricia
Branton, a sister, six grandchildren, and 11 great¬
grandchildren.
Roland A. Bennett, 97, of Preston, CT, on
&L U May 28, 1999. For 45 years, he was a civil
engineer and deputy highway commissioner for the
state of CT. He was a member of the Masons of
Norwich and enjoyed sports, especially the Boston
Red Sox. He leaves wife Helen (Woodmansee), son
Roland Jr., daughters Joan Murphy and Gay
Reichart, a sister, 10 grandchildren, and 10 great¬
grandchildren.
Robert R. Herrick, 93, of Greensburg, IN,
Jv/on May 18,1999. Mr. Herrick started the
Retail Credit Co (later Equifax, Inc.) and managed
offices in WV, MA, OH, PA, and IN, before retiring
to Delray Beach, FL. He served on various civic
committees and was an officer of the Presbyterian
Church and the Middlebury Congregational
Church. He served Middlebury College as class sec¬
retary and as class agent. Predeceased by wife
Marion in 1986, he is survived by son R. Ross
Herrick ’60, daughters Martha Bough and Janet
Foster, a brother, and two granddaughters.
Royal O. Knowlton, 91, of Ashford, CT, on June
14, 1999. Living in the house built by his great¬
grandfather, he maintained the family farm while
serving the town in many capacities. He was town
clerk for 30 years and also served as probate judge,
town treasurer, assessor, registrar of voters, and state
representative. A painting of Mr. Knowlton was
placed in the town hall in September 1998.
Survivors include son Thomas, daughters Dorothy
and Nancy, and seven grandchildren.
C. Lloyd Mann, 95, of Daytona Beach, FL, on
April 24,1999. He began his 43-year teaching
career in a one-room schoolhouse before coming
to Middlebury. He later taught high school chem¬
istry, physics, and mathematics. He earned a master’s
from Albany (NY) Teachers’ College and complet¬
ed his career on the faculty ofWappingers Falls
Central School. Survived by his wife of 68 years,
Harriette (Burton), he also leaves sons Charles,
Burton, Robert, Russell, and Roger; 12 grandchil¬
dren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Harry Bullukian. 89, of Franklin, MA, on
*5 S June 23,1999. With his brother, Arthur, he
established the H. Bullukian & Sons Oil Co. in
Franklin. Survivors include wife Jennie (Vartanian),
son George, daughter Marsha Fahey, and three
grandchildren.
Josephine Walker Hoecke, 86, of North
Attleborough, MA, on June 3(), 1999. She
attended Katharine Gibbs School in Boston and
served on the school’s scholarship committee for
several years. In additional to secretarial work, she
did research for an inventor and for the president of
Rumford (RI) Chemical Works. She was very
active later in volunteer work and traveled the
world with her husband, Bertel V. Hoecke, who
survives her. She also leaves a daughter, Christine
Hoecke.
Marion Jones Munford, 88, of Middlebury, VT,
on July 20,1999. After two years of teaching
English, history, and biology in rural Vermont, she
embarked on a career in library work at
Dartmouth, Harvard, Boston City Hospital, the
Bread Loaf School of English, and Porter Hospital
in Middlebury. At Middlebury College, she directed
and taught the laboratory sections in the introduc¬
tory course in biology and served as codirector of a
program designed to bring African-American stu¬
dents to the campus for a special summer academic
program in the wake of the assassination of Martin
Luther King. She became increasingly involved
with the Middlebury community, working to serve
the needs of the poor. She served as president of
the Addison County Community Action Group
(ACCAG), helped created the local food shelf, was
a founding member of the John Graham Shelter in
Vergennes, helped indigent and transient people in
her capacity of town officer, chaired the Christmas
Shop (providing toys and new clothing to Addison
County children), and initiated the Clothing
Room, where she sorted donated clothing for
decades. The Clothing Room in the new ACCAG
building has been appropriately named in her
honor. She also served on the boards of the
Vermont State Governor’s Scenery Preservation
Council, the Champlain Valley Area on Aging
Agency, and chaired the Episcopal Diocesan
Commission on Community Services. She was a
10-year volunteer for the Vermont State Public
Health Department’s Well Child Clinic, was among
the first hospice volunteers, and was a founder of
the FISH Volunteer Service of Meals on Wheels. In
recognition of her outstanding volunteer work and
Fall 85
_
M I D D> C O N N E C T I O N
IN MEMORIAM
WENDY PEIRSON NOURJIAN '65
April 18, 1946 - May 3, 1999
by Nancy Stead, Stowe Reporter
Wendy Peirson Nouijian died at home Monday, May 3, in
the early hours of a bright spring morning she would have
relished.
Wendy died the way she lived—fighting cancer with
all the guts and grit and curiosity a person could possibly
summon, and when it was apparent that the battle was over,
she spent her final days making those around her comfortable.
With family and closest friends gathered, she bound them with
humor and utter candor until the time came to leave them in
peace.
Wendy was an outdoor woman: a hiker, an accomplished
sailor and skier, a fierce field and ice hockey player. At tennis
she roared to the net. When she had had enough of everyday
hassles, she would grab a sleeping bag and head to Waterbury
Reservoir to sleep under the stars, or join Chico, her Australian
shepherd, in the cockpit of her kayak and head out for a
paddle. She did not see complications, burdens or failure; she
saw paths.
When Wendy learned she had breast cancer, she researched
every possible course of traditional and alternative treatment.
She also bought a 30-foot sloop in Vermont, sailed it down the
Barge Canal and the Hudson River to the Atlantic, and headed
up the coast to her beloved childhood home of Marion, Mass.
Periodically she paused long enough to race back to Vermont
for chemotherapy treatments. Her cancer and her boat were
voyages of discovery; she said just
before she died that even having
cancer was fun because she met
so many amazing people and
learned so much.
Above all, Wendy loved being
a mother. She adored her chil¬
dren, Gregg, Disa, Erica, and
Galen, but they only took a frac¬
tion of her mothering genes. So
she helped found the Stowe
Skating Club and launched a
generation of skaters, coached hockey, taught skiing, and started
the Mt. Mansfield Academy, thus nurturing a generation of
skiers. Her life was about doing the very best she could do; she
was intensely competitive, yet never cared about winning.
A woman of high personal standards, she was nonetheless
disinterested in casting judgment. Her faith in peoples ability
to change nudged her wider surrogate family into facing their
fears and taking charge of their lives.
Finally, it must be noted that Wendy was without pretense.
Going to a party meant adding a necklace to the corduroys she
had been wearing all day Her solutions to the side effects of
chemotherapy were inspired, if basic, and her kids remarked
that she always remembered when it was time to buy them a
new hockey stick, but never thought of clothes.
Wendy was born on Easter Sunday in Brookline, Mass. She
graduated from Beaver Country Day and, then in 1966, from
Middlebury College. She is survived by her friend and hus¬
band, Bruce; sisters Marcia Rretchmer, Patricia DeBruyn,
Virginia Morgan, and Beverly Sheer; and children Gregg ’88,
Disa, Erica ’92, and Galen.
community involvement, she received an honorary
degree from the College at Commencement 1994,
and she was presented in April of 1998 with a
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Vermont
Commission on National and Community Service.
She leaves her husband, Professor Emeritus of
American Literature Howard M. Munford ’34;
daughter Martha Munford Hillemann ’79; son
David Munford ’72; three grandchildren (including
Caroline Hillemann ’88), and three great-grand¬
children.
Marjorie Fielden Kimball. 83, of
Raleigh, NC, on May 18,1999. With a
masters in education, she taught English and Latin
in Rochester, NY, for more than 30 years. She
rerired to Winchester,VA, and then to Raleigh in
1992. Preceded in death by husband Willard A.
Kimball, she is survived by daughters Carol
Reynolds, Beverly Carey, and Jan Kimball; sons
Robert and Jack Kimball; and nine grandchildren.
Arthur E Jacques, 81, ofWalnut Creek, CA, on
April 15,1999. He enlisted in the Navy and served
in the Pacific for three years during World Wir II.
From 1948 until his retirement in 1981, he was a
markedng executive for Towle Manufacturing
Co.,the Newburyport, MA, silvermaking company.
Shortly after graduation, he married Eleanor
Jeschke ’39, who survives him. They had two chil¬
dren, Christopher Jacques and Nancy Jacques
Lahait.
Robert Malvern. 84, of Barre,VT, on June 9,
1999. He was salutatorian of his class and majored
in Latin and Greek. A former professor of Greek
and Hebrew at Nashotah House Seminary in
Nashotah, WI, he was a contributing writer to sev¬
eral Episcopal Church publications. He belonged to
Christ Episcopal Church in Montpelier and was a
longtime volunteer at the Vermont Historical
Society. There are no known survivors.
Mary Heckman Beach, 81, of Durham,
NC, on April 13,1999. She served as dean
of women at Antioch College, where her husband
was on the faculty. During his tenure at Duke
Univ., Mrs. Beach participated in many campus and
community activities. She was president of the
Lakewood School PTA, president of the Campus
Club, a docent at the Duke Museum of Art, and
worked at the Duke Medical Center. She is sur¬
vived by her husband, son Richard Beach, daugh¬
ters Margo Sullivan and Elizabeth Ann Beach, and
five grandchildren.
Phyllis Malcolm Mithassel. 82, of Seattle, WA,
on August 11,1999. She lived in Alaska for 25
years. With first husband Steve McCutcheon, she
owned a camera shop and traveled throughout
Alaska as a free-lance photographer. She lived in
California with second husband Ted Mithassel, a
master mariner, until his death in 1973. She contin¬
ued to enjoy traveling all over the world, did vol¬
unteer work, and was a life member of Soroptimist
International. Survivors include one brother.
Alice Chase Wells. 82, of Upper Montclair, NJ, on
May 16,1999. Active in community affairs, Mrs.
Wells was past president of the Norgate-at-Roslyn
Garden Club of Roslyn, NY; a member of the
Womens Club of Upper Montclair; past president
of the Garden Club of Montclair; a trusteee and
secretary of the citizens committee of the Presby
Memorial Iris Gardens; and a member of the
womens committee of the Montclair Art Museum.
She is survived by husband Thomas M. Wells,
daughter Deborah Dye, son Thomas Wells, three
grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Marjorie Marsh Veronneau. 81, of Ithaca,
NY, on June 25, 1999. With an M.S. in
political science from Southern CT State College
(1969), she taught political science for several years
.
86 Middlebury Magazine
at New Haven Univ. and then history at the
Hopkins School in New Haven, CT. She retired
from Yale Univ. School of Medicine, where she was
an administrative aide for 10 years. Predeceased by
son Martin Boyd, she is survived by daughter Joy
Veronneau and two grandsons.
Irene McGaughy O’Connor, 81, Beverly
Farms, MA, on June 28, 1999. She taught at
the Perkins School for the Blind and for 33 years at
the Shore Country Day School in Beverly. Together
with her late husband, Raymond O’Connor, she
operated a summer camp for children from 1941 to
1974. After retiring she worked with infants at the
Beverly Hospital Child Development Center.
Predeceased by a son, Jackson O’Connor, she is
survived by son Vail O’Connor, two granddaugh¬
ters, and a sister.
Pauline Carleton Steuer, 79, of MiddleburyVT,
on May 22, 1999. With a librarian degree from
Columbia Univ., she worked in law libraries at
Amherst College, OH State Univ., and the Univ. of
OK. She received a doctorate from the Univ. of
Miami (FL) Law School in 1963 and served as law
librarian in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami until her
retirement to Middlebury. Predeceased by husband
Robert Steuer and by a sister, she is survived by an
aunt, several nieces and nephews, and Middlebury
cousins Eleanor Foote Cartmell ’31, Peter V. Foote
’80, and Richard P. Foote ’80. Middlebury relatives,
now deceased, include mother Kathleen Foote
Carleton ’ll;sister Eloise Carleton Mercado ’50;
aunts Estelle J. Foote ’20 and Sylvia Pastene Foote
T9; uncle Ralph A. Foote *17; and cousins Emma
Easton Towne T 1, Alice M. Easton T4, Bernice
Benedict Benjamin ’42, and Janice Foote Guglin ’50.
Audrey Hargreaves Timberlake. 80, of Amherst,
MA, on July 29, 1999. She completed graduate
work at Columbia Univ. and the Univ. of NH,
taught high school English in Dover and
Lexington, MA, and later managed the practice of
her husband, Dr. Ralph M.Timberlake,Jr. She was
an avid gardener and sang in church and commu¬
nity choruses. Besides her husband of 55 years, she
leaves sons Ralph and Douglas, daughter Shelley
Svoboda, four grandchildren, and twin great-grand¬
daughters.
Marjorie Smith Storer, 79, of Brunswick,
ME, on April 29,1999. With a master’s in
library science from Simmons College, she estab¬
lished programs to provide books to small commu¬
nities in northern VT and NY, and worked in the
libraries at the Dept, of Commerce (Albany, NY),
Bowdoin College, Brunswick schools, and the
Topsham Public Library. She helped develop a
library system in the Philippines and was a found¬
ing member of the Brunswick area League of
Women Voters, serving as secretary on the state
board. She received an award from First Lady
Barbara Bush for her work with Literacy Action in
the DC area. Predeceased in 1985 by son Taylor,
she is survived by husband James A. Storer, son Joel
Storer, and one grandson.
Ruth Montgomery Titsworth, 78, of
Advance, NC, on June 13,1999. Before
retirement to Seabrook Island, SC, she and her
family lived in Boston and Pittsburgh. Her interests
included church life at St. Clement’s Episcopal
Church, hospital volunteering, opera board, and
traveling. She is survived by husband Edwin J.
Titsworth, daughters Carolyn Slavin and Tracy
Moore, son Edwin Jr., and three grandchildren.
Frederick E. Whitehouse, 80, of North Port, FL,
on June 11, 1999. He was a photographer and
newspaper editor in New England before moving
to Severna Park, MD, where he was an on-site
technician at the Project Mercury Tracking Station
in the early days of the space industry. He was an
engineering writer for several defense companies,
retiring to North Port in 1985. Survivors include
his wife of 57 years, Nancy Hall Whitehouse ’42;
daughters Willow Whitehouse and Linda Crum;
and three grandchildren.
Robert Liebert III. 76, of Sanford, NC, on
April 26,1999. A veteran ofWorldWar II,
he was a B-29 pilot, receiving the Distinguished
Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He worked with
U.S. Customs for 33 years on the Canadian border
in VT. Retiring to Sanford in 1978, he was a active
member of Emmanuel United Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years,Venila
(Magoon); daughter Linda Liebert; and son Richard
Liebert.
Robert R. “Bobo” Sheehan, 76, of Middlebury,
VT, on September 3,1999. A veteran ofWorld War
II, he was a dive bomber in the Naval Air Corps.
He coached football, baseball, golf, and skiing at
Middlebury College from 1945 to 1967. His ski
teams produced two national titles and 11 Eastern
championships. In 1956 he coached the men’s
alpine Olympic team. The Sheehan chairlift at the
IN MEMORIAM
RICHARD DOUGLAS '65
December 31, 1942 - May 3, 1999
Richard Douglas devoted much of his life to overcoming the
frustrating barriers which prevent disabled people from leading
normal lives. From the time he was diagnosed with muscular
sclerosis in 1970 (five years after graduating from Middlebury),
to the time of his death from cancer in 1999, he was commit¬
ted to making the personal and social changes necessary to
maintain dignity and freedom despite his illness. His dedication
made him a national spokesperson and advocate for the rights
of the disabled.
Before he could help others, Douglas had to overcome his
own fears about being disabled. In 1997 he received an
Alumni Achievement Award and gave a Twilight Lecture at the
College in which he shared his personal experience. “I was
confused, worried, and scared to death,” he said about the
diagnosis. As hard as it was initially for him to accept his dis¬
ability, he soon realized that life does indeed go on. Douglas
was inspired and encouraged by Ed Roberts in Berkeley, the
leader of the “independent living” movement of the ’60s.
Yet no amount of self-acceptance could override the fact
that much of the world is simply unprepared (and occasionally
unwilling) to deal with disabled persons. In this regard,
Richard Douglas found his life’s
work: to educate and transform
the public perception of disabili¬
ty. He worked in Vermont, acting
as director of vocational rehabili¬
tation for six years, later joining
the President’s Committee on
Employment of People with
Disabilities Act a year after the
adoption of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. He was the first
person with a disability to serve
as the Committee’s executive
director (1991-1995). Douglas
focused on the necessity of allowing disabled people into the
work force; he believed with all his heart in breaking down
the barriers between disabled and non-disabled people by
helping the disabled to regain their fundamental independ¬
ence.
In response to an alumni inquiry in 1990, he wrote: “Not
everything has turned out the way I planned or wanted, sure.
Love today and looking forward to whatever comes along.”
Richard Douglas is survived by his wife, Nancy Flinn;
daughter Carrie Douglas; son David Douglas; stepsons
Christopher, Jeffrey, Jason, and Aaron Flinn; mother and stepfa¬
ther Francie and Phillip Allen; two sisters; and three grand¬
daughters.
Fall
Snow Bowl was named in his honor. He later
owned the Reno (NV) Ski Shop and retired to
Palm Springs, CA. During the summers, he contin¬
ued to live in Middlebury, where he presided over
the Sheehan Family Classic GolfTournament at the
Ralph Myhre course, with appearances by his
LPGA Hall-of-Fame daughter, Patty. He is survived
by wife Leslie (Ireland); sons Butch,Jack, and Steve;
daughter Patty; siblings Rae Cummings and Jim
Sheehan; seven grandchildren, and two great¬
grandchildren. See the memoriam to Bobo
Sheehan, page 89.
Ruth Taylor Wilcoxson. 76, of Naperville,
IL, on July 20, 1999. She was editor of a
weekly newspaper, the News-Record , in Maplewood,
NJ, for several years, and was a media representative
for Kroehler Manufacturing Co. in Naperville. In
North Aurora, she was a claims adjuster for the IL
Dept, of Unemployment Security for 17 years,
retiring in 1995. An active member of Knox
Presbyterian Church, she also served on the board
of the Samaritan Interfaith Counseling Center.
Survivors include daughter Lesley Wilcoxson, son
Keith Wilcoxson, and four grandchildren.
Janet Kraft West, 72, of Bainbridge Island,
WA, on May 1,1999. Moving to the Seattle
area in 1948, she taught English and journalism at
Bainbridge High School, retiring in 1987. As a vol¬
unteer, she worked at human service agencies on
Bainbridge Island and at ACLU in Seattle, she
tutored Russian visitors, and was involved in an
affordable housing program. Elected mayor of
Bainbridge Island, she served for three and a half
years, resigning 1997, when she broke her hip
while traveling in France. Predeceased by husband
Edward West and grandson Christopher Deaton,
she is survived by sons Duncan and Malcolm,
daughters Victoria and Nancy, and three grandchil¬
dren.
George F. Wedge, 71, of Lawrence, KS, on
June 5,1999. Before coming to
Middlebury, he served in the Navy (1945-1948)
and attended the Naval Academy at Annapolis
(1948 to 1950).With a master’s in English and his¬
tory and a Ph.D. in English and Latin (both Univ.
of MN), he joined the English faculty at the Univ.
of KS, retiring in 1993. One of the founders of the
linguistics dept., he was editor of Cottonwood
Magazine and Press and advisory editor of Kansas
Quarterly. He published numerous papers on the
relationship of creativity, alcohol, and drugs.
Survivors include wife Margaret Nasmith Wedge
’52, son Philip Wedge, daughters Alberta Wedge and
Louise Pennewell, and five grandchildren.
Blair A. Powell, 66, of Chatham, NJ, on
May 15, 1999. He retired in 1992 as a VP in
the private banking department of Citibank in
NYC, where he had started his business career 35
years earlier. In 1992, he also retired from the U.S.
Naval Reserve as a commander. He held a law
degree from NYU Law School and was admitted
to the NY State Bar. Surviving are wife Janet
(Black), daughters Lauren Derrig and Lynne
Delino, and four grandchildren.
Jeffrey L. Tomash, 61, of New York, NY,
on January 19,1999. He held a master’s in
English from the Univ. of MI (1960) and taught
French at the James Madison High School in
Brooklyn, NY.
Susan Whitlock Roesler. 58, of Boulder,
CO, on May 24,1999, of cancer. In 1961,
she married John O. Roesler, who was commis¬
sioned in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her husband was
killed in action on January 26, 1968. Mrs. Roesler
received her degree in anthropology and fine art
from the Univ. of CO. As an artist, her works were
shown in a number of galleries, including the
National Gallery in Washington, DC, and the
Denver Arts Museum. She established the Colorado
Artists Registry in 1984 and served as the director
until her death. Preceded in death by her husband
and infant son Sean Roesler, she is survived by
daughter Collin Culbertson and a sister.
Margaret Roache Wenzel, 56, of
Coventry, CT, on June 9,1999. With a mas¬
ters from Trinity College in Hartford, she was
retired from teaching English at East Catholic High
School in Manchester. She studied for many years
at the Silvermine Guild of Artists. Survivors include
daughter Jennifer LeLand, sons Scott and
Christopher LeLand, two grandchildren, a sister,
and her mother, Frances Roache.
Frank J. Eppich. 41, of San Francisco, CA,
on May 7,1994. He worked for Pacific
Telephone, traveled extensively, and received an
M.A. in economics (1984) from San Francisco
State Univ. Avidly interested in the global economy
and world politics, he was also involved in many
causes, including the Harvey Milk Gay and Lesbian
Democratic Club. He was employed by the
Cardiovascular Research Institute of the Univ. of
CA in San Francisco. He leaves his partner, Rick
Cassaro.
James E. Appleby III. 29, of New York,
NY, on June 2, 1999. A 1987 graduate of
Mechanicsburg (PA) High School, he majored in
physics and music composition at Middlebury,
where he was salutatorian of his class and elected to
membership in Phi Beta Kappa. In New York City,
he was employed in the human resources depart¬
ment of Doubleclick. He was a member of
Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren. Surviving
are his parents, James E. and Susan Linn Appleby,
Jr., and a brother, Mark D. Appleby.
Ezra Andersen, 22, of New Marlborough,
MA, late July, 1999. He was last seen July 20;
his body was discovered in a wooded area near his
home several days later. Cause of death had not
been determined. A religion major at Middlebury,
he was expected to graduate in May 2000. He is
survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David G.
Andersen, and by siblings Nicholas, Jesse, and Merina.
LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
13 Virgie M. Bauer, M.A. French, 94, of
>5 fcl Dover, DE, on April 12, 1999. She was a
teacher of English and foreign languages from 1922
until 1969.
Esther Rosen Weiser. M.A. French, 101,
of Sarasota, FL, on June I 1. 1999. She
taught French and Spanish in New York City, retir¬
ing in 1961.
Eleanor Fowler Delarede, English, 90,
of Ojai, CA, on May 19,1999. She taught
elementary, junior high, and senior high English in
New York State.
Charles A. Bruce. M.A. French, of
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on December
29,1998. He was an editor with the Canadian
Broadcasting Corp.
Nancy Scott Wiener. M.A. French, 77,
of Doylestown, PA, on January 26, 1999.
Mary Mouyous, M.A. French, ofWest
Roxbury, MA, on August 1,1996.
George Rubenfeld, M.A. French, ofWinnipeg,
MB, on January 13, 1991.
James R. Lyons, M.Litt., 73, of
Yarmouthport, MA, on July 28, 1999.
Charlotte Promersberger Johnston.
M.A. German, 60, of Fallbrook, CA, on
April 16,1999. She taught German, English, and
social studies in Milwaukee until 1996.
Angela Young Bosserman. Russian, 49,
of San Leandro, CA, on January 12, 1998.
Charles G. Lenaghan. S.J., M.A. Spanish,
76, of Chicago, IL, on June 6,1999. An Irish
Jesuit priest, he was the Spanish-speaking associate
pastor of St. Philomena Catholic Church, where 90
percent of the 700 families are Hispanic.
Shirley S. Davis. English, ofWestwood,
NJ, on April 10, 1999. She taught French
and was a former head of Miss Fine’s Preparatory
School, Princeton.
FACULTY
Page L. Edwards, Jr.. Bread LoafWriters’
Conference, 57, of St. Augustine, FL, on January 7,
1999. He was an author and librarian in MA.
Honorary Doctor of Laws (1987). John Minor
Wisdom. 93, of New Orleans, LA, on May 15,
1999. In nearly 42 years on the 5th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals, Judge Wisdom ordered integra¬
tion at the Univ. of Mississippi and also joined
decisions that eliminated racial discrimination in
jury selection and voter registration in Louisiana. In
recognition of his work. President Clinton awarded
him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in
November 1993.
ANSWERS
TO TIME
WHEN PUZZLE 56,t
1.7, ,n.
8. 5:00
2. 1:00
9. 3 a.m.
3. midnight
10. 8:00
4. noon
11. 12:30
5. 1 1 a.m.
12.2:30
6. four o’clocks
13. 8:00 p.m.
7. 9 a.m.
14. 8:30 p.m.
Middlebury Magazine
IN MEMORIAM
REMEMBERING BOBO
Robert R. Sheehan ’44
September 9, 1922 - September 3, 1999
by John Morton ’68
It was an evening early in September 1964.1 had endured the
anxiety of Freshman Orientation and had survived the terror
of opening day classes, motivated almost entirely by anticipa¬
tion of the first organizational meeting of the ski team, the
primary reason I had enrolled at Middlebury.The stuffy class¬
room in the field house contained a constellation of America’s
brightest skiing stars: Gordi Eaton ’62, Roger Buchika ’66,
Peter Ruschp ’66, Tommy Easton ’66, and others. Several had
been collegiate champions, national team members, and even
Olympic veterans.
A white-haired man with a sunburned face sat at the front
of the room, smiling as he bantered with the upperclassmen.
After brief introductions and a few suggestions for condition¬
ing workouts during the fall, the coach singled out the incom¬
ing freshmen.
“Well boys, as you can see, good alpine skiers are a dime a
dozen around here, hah hah hah.. . .If you guys want to ski
for Middlebury, you’d better train hard and learn to ski cross¬
country.” That was my introduction to Bobo Sheehan, and it
was the best advice I’ve ever had.
Growing up in Newport,Vermont, Bobo excelled at sever¬
al sports, but it was skiing that drew him to Middlebury. After
a tour of duty as a Navy carrier pilot, he returned to
Middlebury in 1945 and at various times coached football,
baseball, tennis, and golf, in addition to his primary sport, ski¬
ing. The success of his Middlebury teams included 11 Eastern
championships and two NCAA titles. He was selected to
coach the U.S. Men’s Alpine Team at the Winter Olympics
in Cortina, Italy.
The most distinctive aspect of Bobo’s coaching style
was his easy-going sense of humor. Early each ski season at
Middlebury, when racers industriously waxed their skis, Bobo
would casually inspect the progress of the freshmen. The expe¬
rienced upperclassmen waited quietly for the inevitable trap.
“Boy, Skip, that looks like a good smooth coat. Just don’t
forget to wax the groove.”
The upperclassmen kept waxing, but the freshmen looked
at each other in confusion, until someone asked,“Uh, Bobo,
you want us to wax the groove?”
Bobo’s response usually came over his shoulder as he
strolled from the ski room. “Gee, 1 dunno Skipper, do you ski
on the groove?”
In February 1965, the Middlebury varsity beat a powerful
Dartmouth team at their Winter Carnival in Hanover, by half
a point. It was also a victory of coaching styles. Bobo was
relaxed, almost carefree,
and rarely rattled, even in
the heat of competition.
No doubt slamming dive
bombers onto the pitch¬
ing deck of an aircraft car¬
rier at night in a storm
helped to keep the stress
of ski coaching in its
proper perspective.
In contrast, A1 Merrill
was organized, disciplined,
and carefully supervised
every aspect of the impressive Dartmouth program. It seemed to
us that Dartmouth spent hours testing waxes before every cross¬
country event, while Bobo would arrive minutes before the
start, cork in whatever happened to be in his pocket, and send
us to the race with the assurance, “Kick down hard, boys, and
you can make it work.”
Winning the Dartmouth carnival that year was a big deal. As
white-coated waiters cleared plates after the lavish banquet, and
the beautiful carnival queen took her place behind the awards
table, Bobo leaned forward and rumbled, “Now listen boys,
these Greenies always rub our noses in it when they whip us,
so don’t you be afraid to let ’em know who won this carnival.”
Gordi Eaton followed Bobo’s remark with an ominous
threat, “Don’t bother coming back to this table if you don’t kiss
the queen when she hands over your trophy.” With prizes for
the top three finishers in the four events for freshmen and four
more for the varsity, the carnival queen was looking pretty
bedraggled by the time she picked up the final award, first place
in the Alpine Combined. Gordi Eaton’s chair clattered to the
floor as he sprinted to the front of the hall. Ignoring the trophy,
the Middlebury captain swept the queen into his arms and
headed for the door, as the Dartmouth men scowled. Bobo,
however, beamed with satisfaction.
A surprising number of Bobo’s athletes have maintained
a lifetime connection to skiing, through business, coaching,
or as master competitors. Anyone who raced for Bobo Sheehan
can still hear that distinctive laugh and see his smile, an ever
present reminder that skiing, first and foremost, should be fun.
The key to Bobo’s coaching success, and the reason so many
of us still thrive on the sport nearly a half century later, is that
he showed us how to keep the joy in competition, even at
die top level.
Fall 89
Midd Connection
(Letters continued from page 7)
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As a premier environmental college,
Middlebury should have more courage
(and faith in its intrinsic beauty) than to
surrender to the perceived or actual mate¬
rialistic demands of graduating high school
seniors. In other words, McCardells asser¬
tion that “better food, phones, and Internet
links in every room, more complete health
and counseling services, less spartan facili¬
ties” will help bring us “more than our
share of the best students available” seems,
in addition to being a sorry commentary, is
a morally weak position. Self-reliance and a
degree of asceticism have created some of
the greatest souls and minds in human his¬
tory, not the pampering and hedonism
epitomized by the new Grille (which,
admittedly, is a lucious place to sip smooth¬
ies) and the eight new Greenwich-style
social houses situated along Adirondack
Row (which, admittedly, seem like they
would be fun places to guzzle from kegs of
Otter Creek brew).
I would also add my voice to those
who are offended by this magazine. The
cover photograph of David Stoll (Spring
’99) alone symbolized all that is wrong
with the Ivory Tower which Middlebury is
whitening with each passing year. The
accompanying article was an abomination
and, from what I can discern, not a fair and
accurate portrayal of the professors work.
While I find Stolls book mildly irritating,
I find this magazine which tries so hard to
convey a certain Utopian image of
Middlebury even more disdainful. Editing
out information about a gay alumnus’
“partner” is patently wrong, regardless of
your views on homosexuality.
Alexander Lee ’91
South Royalton, VT
A Responsibility to Lead
by Example
As graduates of Middlebury College and
37-year residents of Addison County, we
are deeply disappointed that the College in
its recent growth process is not promoting
or modeling values which we believe are
crucial for the health and very existence of
our local and global communitties. The
construction of the new science building
has only strengthened our concern. To
what degree does the new science build-
90 Middlebury Magazine
ing, or for that matter any other building at
Middlebury, reflect the following issues:
the true short-term and long-term cost to
the world of the buildings construction
and maintenance; the process, including
information and awareness of the origin of
the material used to build the building, the
personal and environmental costs of their
procurement, as well as the careful assess¬
ment that materials used are free of car¬
cinogens, mutagens, or endocrine dis¬
rupters; the source and quantity of energy
used; the connectedness to place, commu¬
nity, and the larger web of life; the design of
the building refleedng appropriate scale
and style, and communicating harmony
with the surrounding community; the
engaging of students, faculty, staff, and
interested members of the wider commu¬
nity in the design process.
We believe that modeling is the most
powerful form of teaching. If students are
not reminded of the challenges which face
the global community on a day-to-day
basis, then, as expressed in an article,
“Architecture as Pedagogy,” from Orion
Afield ,“Students begin to suspect that those
issues (climatic change, biotic impoverish¬
ment, and the unraveling of the fabric of
life on earth) are unreal, or that they are
unsolvable in any practical way, or that they
occur somewhere else.” In conclusion we
emphatically agree that, “More than any
institution in modern society, colleges and
universities have a moral stake in the
health, beauty, and integrity of the world
our students will inherit.”
John Beattie '66
Brennan Michaels '66
Salisbury, VT
LETTERS POLICY
Priority is given to letters addressing issues discussed
in the magazine. On any given subject we will print
letters that address that subject and letters respond¬
ing to those first letters.Then we’ll move on to other
topics. We try to print all letters, but if quantity
exceeds space available, a representative sample
appears. Letters may be edited for brevity or clarity.
Send letters to: Letters, Middlebury Magazine,
Meeker House, Middlelxiry College, Middlebury,
VT 05753
Correction
In the summer issue the honorary degree
recipients listed were February graduates.
The May graduates included 75 magna cum
laudes and 25 summa cum laudes.
MISS
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Fall 91
CLASSIFIEDS
*
ANTIQUES
American and European
silver, furniture, decorative
arts. Estates purchased. Stone
Block Antiques, 219 Main
Street,Vergennes,VT. (802)
877-3359^ Daily 11-5. (Greg
Hamilton ’79) Always buying,
always selling.
ART PRINTS
Woody Jackson ’70: For
information on Woody
Jacksons Holy Cow and all of
Woody’s great imagery please
check us out on the web at
www.woodyjackson.com or
caH us at (802) 388-6737.
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
New England Businesses
For Sale: Profitable, well-
priced, desirable lifestyle
opportunities. Manufacturing,
hospitality, retail, distribution.
Call Certified Business Brokers
@ (800) 711-4212.
BUY/SELL
Wanted to Buy: Important
American/French 19th/20th-
century paintings/sculpture.
David Findlay Jr. Fine Art (Lee
Findlay ’85), 41 East 57th
Street, New York, NY 10022,
(212) 486-7660.
REAL ESTATE
Lake Champlain Home,
guest cottage: $1,500,000.
Vintage/Contemporary, mar¬
ble baths, near Middlebury:
$359,500. Ask for: Deirdre
Counter ’79 (800) 639-1763
counted@realtor.com
RE/MAX Champlain
Valley Properties: Please
contact us if you are interested
in buying or selling in the
Middlebury Area. 1-800-545-
8380. www.remax-mid-vt.
com
LODGING
Cornwall Orchards Bed
and Breakfast: Comfortable,
old Vermont farmhouse. Five
double rooms all with private
bath, guests’ living room with
fireplace, full breakfast. On
Route 30 in Cornwall, only
three minutes from the College.
Juliet Gerlin, (802) 462-2272.
cornorch@together.net
Idyllic historic inn, on quiet
country lane, private baths, sep¬
arate guest house. 15 minutes
from Middlebury, near Lake
Champlain. Wood-burning fires,
panoramic view of meadows,
Adirondacks. Full breakfasts,
book-lined library. (800) 746-
2704. whitford@together.net
www.whitfordhouseinn.com
Heart ofVermont Lodging
Association: one call for reser¬
vations and availability at over
40 of the finest lodging estab¬
lishments in the Champlain
Valley. (802) 388-0800.
www.vermont-lodging.com
Lilac Inn: Historic district
mansion in unhurried,
unspoiled, unforgettable
Brandon. Nine elegant guest
rooms. Known for extraordi¬
nary weddings, www.lilacinn.
com (800) 221-0720.
SERVICES
The Cookie Express deliv¬
ers fresh-baked homemade
cookies to family, friends and
businesses throughout the
U.S. Free brochure 1-800-
300-0904. E-mail: cookies@
maine.rr.com
Date someone in your
league: Graduates and facul¬
ty of Middlebury College,
the Ivies, Seven Sisters, MIT,
Amherst, Williams. Meet
alumni and academics. The
Right Stuff 1-800-988-5288.
www.rightstuffdating.com
MAIL ORDER
Middlebury College Flag:
Last chance to order for
Christmas with official old
chapel seal, white on blue
background, 3’x5’ highest qual¬
ity nylon, made in U.S.A. $60
+ $2.50 shipping & handling.
Send check with order please.
Allow four weeks for delivery.
Anthony N. D’Avella ’00 MC
Box 3583, Middlebury College
Middlebury Vermont 05753
email: davella@middlebury.edu
(802) 462-2046 or voice mail:
(802) 443-4277vmail
Green Mountain Gift
Baskets ships quality Vermont
gifts anywhere in the US. Free
greeting card and 20% off if
ordered before December 1st.
1-800-613-4642. www.sover.
net/~gmgb
VACATION RENTALS
Winter Park, Colorado: 3
bedroom, 3 bath condo, out¬
door hot tub, $150-$225/day.
P. Daukas ’76, (800) 755-6987
ext 3896, paula_daukas@
urscorp.com
Mad River, Sugarbush
Area: Comfortable farmhouse
for up to 20. Ski season: $400/
day, 2 day minimum. Matthew
Her ’88, (978) 922-6903.
VACATION RENTALS
St.John. Quiet Elegance: 2
bedrooms, pool, deck, spectac¬
ular view. (508) 668-2078.
We have 2 winterized
cabins on our Wyoming
ranch, a luxurious 10 bed¬
room family compound (with
help) on its own island in Lake
of the Woods, Ontario,
Canada, and in Argentina a 3
bedroom home in Bariloche
(Patagonia) and a 2 bedroom
cabin on a nearby estancia.
Piney Creek Sporting
Properties: David and Susie
ParkWeissman ’67 (307) 683-
2806 pineyproperties@
wyoming.com
Spacious 1800’s Charlotte
farmhouse. Beautifully fur¬
nished, 3 baths, 4+bdr. Weekly
$800. andreainvt@juno.com
http://farmhouse, homepage,
com (802) 482-4043.
❖ ❖ ♦>
Space reservation deadlines
for placing classified ads
during the year 2000 are:
Winter: November 19, 1999
Spring: February 22, 2000
Summer:May 24, 2000
Fall: August 25, 1999
Please contact:
Smart Communication, Inc.
FIave you . . .
A vacation home to rent?
Lodging to offer?
Real Estate for sale?
Merchandise to buy or sell?
Employment opportunities?
Services to provide?
Contact:
Smart Communication, Inc.
P.O. Box 283
Vergennes, VT 05491-0283
Telephone: (802) 877-2262
fax: (802) 877-2949
email: GetSmart@together.net
92 Middlebury Magazine
LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Historic Crane Point Farm, a C. 1730 classic brick Colonial on 15 acres with
extensive lake frontage, sandy beach, unsurpassed views of the lake and
Adirondacks. Offered at $695,000. Also available, two private 10+ acre
lots with 700' and 900’ of prime shore frontage, $325,000 and $375,000
respectively. Only 20 minutes from Middlebury College!
BILL BECK REAL ESTATE
Coleen Beck, CRS
800 - 639-1762
colbeck@together.net
A Premier Vermont Residence
Elegance in stone, graciousness in
lifestyle and in pristine condition.
Nearly 5200 sq. ft. living space, 6
Bedrooms, 51/2 Baths, Grand
Living Room, Marble Fireplace,
Library, Gourmet Kitchen, Paneled
Dining Room, Exercise Room,
Turret, Terraces, 3-Car Heated
garage on 2.65 acres, walking dis¬
tance to Country Club and min¬
utes to Killington. $850,000
Free Brochure.
Frank Punderson Agency
19 West St. 0/tm .
Rutland, Vt 05701
1 800-775-4299 ext.202
fepund@aol.com
SUPER HEAVY 100% COTTON
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Outstanding custom contemporary on 50 acres of open & wood¬
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many custom features, birdseye maple floors, 5+ bedrooms, 2
1/2 baths. Extremely energy efficient home with ample solar
gain. Beautifully landscaped grounds. $ 355 , 000 .
COLDWELL BANKER
BILL BECK REAL ESTATE
800.639.1762
or e-mail
ingrid@together.net
Ingrid Punderson ’88
BROOKSIDE MEADOWS
S ituated on 20+ acres with beautifully manicured grounds, rolling
meadows, woods, pond and a brook. The expanded Cape
includes over 5,000 sq.ft, as well as extensive guest quarters and
19th century barn. Less than 3 miles from college and world class
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www.froghollow.org • 802.388.3177
Fall 93
Burn Out the Old
(BRING IN
THE NEW)
BY DREW
SCHEMBRE '83
I distrust New Year’s as
A TIME FOR RESOLUTIONS.
January first has never
brought me much insight,
except perhaps the thought
that next year I ought to exer¬
cise more restraint. And
although this year’s fin de mil¬
lennium celebrations promise to
clean the slate for everyone
and provide a polished spring¬
board to launch into the brave
new world, I suspect, come
08:00, 01/01/00, many of us
will only brew a strong pot of
coffee and face the chores of
the day.
For me, Labor Day still sig¬
nals the start of the real New
Year. There’s something about
the hint of fall and the short¬
ening light that says, “Brush off
the sand, put the toys away,
and do something productive
again.” By the time August
closes, in my mind I’m pack¬
ing up my dad’s station wagon
and making the trek north to
see what Middlebury has in
store for me this time around.
So I was surprised last fall
not only to find myself back
on the East Coast after nine
years in the part of the coun¬
try where you can ski without
ever sharpening your edges,
but to be actually driving up
the Thru way on Labor Day
weekend. I was heading to
Hinesburg, where my friend
Steve hosts his annual end-of-
summer bacchanal. The party
offered a chance to catch up
with friends and bike on unin¬
terrupted country roads. I had
moved to Manhattan from
Utah the previous June and
was feeling overcrowded and
underventilated. Despite the
crush of 8 million neighbors, I
experienced more isolation in
New York than any time since,
well, freshman week.
The centerpiece of this
party would be a large bonfire.
Into the fire would go your
particular symbol of a failed or
unfinished summer project. In
doing this, you were released
from any obligation to com¬
plete it and could then move
on to the cooler months guilt-
free. Planned to take a trip to
the Pyrenees but a crisis at
work squashed it? No prob¬
lem. Toss that Lonely Planet
Spain on the fire! jBueno!
Didn’t finish those Adirondack
chairs? (The ones you had
imagined you’d sit in a la
Bread Loaf while you finally
read Magic Mountain and
Ulysses). Heft those badly cut
slats—yes, just like that, oh yes!
Instant absolution!
I had collected a fair
amount of my own flotsam
over the past year. Why not
jettison it as part of a grand,
ceremonial purge? Slash and
burn, then move on.
My trip, like all good trips
north, would take me through
Middlebury. I hadn’t been
through campus in several
years and I became nervous
about what I might find. Even
the most beautiful campus
can’t match the rarefied vistas
of memory.
But when I drove up
College Street, the College on
the hill was pretty much the
way I’d left it. Staid fieldstone
buildings with fresh white
paint, separated by expansive
rolling lawns. Each door a por¬
tal to memories, each window
a glimpse at forgotten opti¬
mism, each walkway an untest¬
ed option.
I parked in front of Proctor
Hall and did the usual walk
through campus, down the
hill, past lecture halls and dor¬
mitories, trying to remember
names and classes. The sense of
awe hadn’t diminished. Wow,
what a beautiful place! Did I
appreciate it when I was 18?
I walked over to Allen
Hall, a little hesitant about
revisiting that awkward fresh¬
man who entered a world
where everyone else seemed so
attractive and comfortable and
talented. There, I encountered
a string of SUVs, (today’s panel
wagons), with anxious parents
unloading their new colle-
giates. About then I did the
math. These first-year students,
these radiant, excited new
members of the class of the
third year of the third millen¬
nium were exactly half my
age. When I was entering
Allen’s doors for the first time,
they were in utero. When they
reach my age, I’ll be close to
retirement. Epochs shrank into
a handful of graduations, eons
compressed into the time it
takes for bellbottoms to return.
Back in the shadow of
Proctor, I mounted my creaky
road bike and took the bumpy
shortcut through the cemetery
where I used to read on warm
spring days to take advantage
of the solitude. Back out
Route 30,1 passed the impres¬
sive new Center for the
Performing Arts and the work
on the new stadium and then
rode over the hill (the symbol¬
ism of this descent was not lost
on me), toward Cornwall.This
was the route to the swim¬
ming hole at the quarry where
half the school gathered one
weekend at the end of classes.
Did the D-8 really break into
spontaneous a capella as if in
some Annette Funicello
movie? Then along the path to
the Halfway House Diner
where we drove many late
nights after I finished bartend¬
ing at the Rosebud, for the
three-egg, three-sausage, three-
pancake breakfast ($3.00).
The smell of manure on
the plowed fields unleashed
memories like the smell of
Swann’s madeleines. But my
thought kept returning to the
incoming first year students.
How old would they be when
my kids reached this campus?
This had become an academic
question, since the closest I
had come to marriage had just
ended a couple of weeks earli¬
er on the Upper West Side,
when I moved into a studio
about the size of my sopho¬
more dormroom (which
would cost yearly about twice
my freshman tuition). It had
been a turbulent four-year
relationship, but during its
many buccolic periods we
named our kids and schemed
at creating a flawless genera¬
tion. During one of these peri¬
ods, at Christmas the year
before, I made her a jewelry
box from an old cigar case
from Mexico where we had
traveled and lived the previous
year. I stained and strengthened
the delicate wood, and filled it
with soft black felt. Inside I left
one of the three expensive
cigars that I had had to pur¬
chase to get the box. And a
ring. She pondered the ring
question for several months
and returned the cigar when I
moved out.
Two hours later, exhausted
as much from the memories as
from the ride, I climbed Route
125 toward campus. The sun
dipped behind me, casting a
long, big-wheeled caricature of
myself, a Giacometti figure
atop two great ellipses, stretch¬
ing toward the College. Ahead
of me the blinking yellow light
by Adirondack stood sentinel
to the campus behind the
crest. Not Gatsby’s green light
on the distant dock, perhaps,
but then this beacon flashed
for those staring at 40.
Caution. Don’t stop; continue
slowly.
I reached the party just as
they lit the bonfire. Dead
tomato plants, a broken canoe
paddle, and a window frame
went in to big applause. My
bag held a couple of items I
had intended to immolate. A
photo of my ex, an invitation
to our last party, an old bikini
top, and the Te-Amo Robusto
cigar. I imagined some dramat¬
ic display as I hurled each item
on the pyre. There would be
laughs and hoots and congrat¬
ulations from a group of guys
who understood such things.
Then I looked around in
the fading light. My friends
were no longer college stu¬
dents; in fact they have been
adults for as long as the current
new students have been alive.
They didn’t need to see this
puerile display. And despite the
promises of cleansing, it would
take more than the ignition of
effigies to move beyond some
things. Mostly time. I stuffed all
of the items deeper into my
bag except the Robusto,
which I quietly lit with a stick
from the side of the fire. Grow
up.Take responsibility. Be kind.
I took a long pull through the
tart, chocolatey leaves, blowing
a small cloud toward the west.
As good resolutions as any, I
thought, and whispered,
“ Happy New Year! 1
Drew Schembre is a gastroenterolo¬
gist in Seattle, Washington. He
shares a house with a large, black
Labrador retriever named Elvis.
Fall 95
Bread Loaf Diary
BY DAVID
WEINSTOCK
BLWC ' 9 6
Y THE TIME YOU READ
THIS, I will have gradu¬
ated from America’s
foremost literary boot camp,
the Bread Loaf Writers’
Conference. If the muses are
willing, and the South Branch
of the Middlebury River does¬
n’t rise, I’ll be joining 200-odd
writerly wannabes who will
fork over $2,000 apiece for 11
days of writing lessons from 20
even odder alreadyams.
Actually, wannabes is not
the word. We don’t just wanna,
we gotta. A few of us even
show clarion signs of gonna.
The “contributors,” as most
Bread Loaf attendees are
known, are selected on the
basis of submitted manuscripts
from an ever-growing appli¬
cant pool. With all those
potential paying customers to
choose from. Director Michael
Collier deserves enormous
credit for limiting and even
reducing, to 10, the workshop
student/teacher ratio, ensuring
personal attention for all.
This year, unlike 1996,1
will not be one of those 10. In
1999 I am officially an auditor.
Each workshop has two audi¬
tor slots. Being an auditor
imposes a small but important
civil disability—I may not
receive a private manuscript
critique from Ed Hirsch.
Fortunately, in the years since
my last Bread Loaf tour, I have
developed several other reliable
sources for expert feedback on
my work. Each workshop is
led by a well-known senior
writer—mine will be the poet
96 Middlebury Magazine
Illustration by Reinhold Lange
Ed Hirsch—assisted by a fel¬
low. A fellow has published
one book; the senior writer
many, in Hirsch s case six.
Many of the faculty are
celebrities, as poets and writers
go, which is to say, not very
far. No American poet is a
celebrity in the true sense of
the word, on the exalted level
of, say Fran 1 )rescher. (If you
know who she is, shame on
you. Watch less TV and read
more poetry.)
Drescher is the Nanny, the
screech-voiced protagonist in
an embarrassing TV sitcom of
the same name. In the first day
or two after Princess Diana
died in a car wreck, when it
was still widely supposed that
the accident had been caused
by those pesky paparazzi, Miss
Drescher, arriving at a movie
premiere, emerged from her
limousine to answer a TV
reporters request for a com¬
ment. “The photographers are
a terrible problem,” she said,
pulling her nonfur wrap pro¬
tectively around her shoulders,
“for those of us in The
Celebrity Community.”
The Celebrity
Community! The Celebrity
Community contains no
poets. This despite the fact that
The Celebrity Community
has lately shown remarkable
catholicity and inclusiveness in
who may become, and remain,
a celebrity. It is no longer nec¬
essary to be a movie star, a
sports champion, or a
Kennedy. Today Martha
Stewart is a full-fledged
celebrity, merely for perform¬
ing, albeit with more than
common enthusiasm, the
humblest of domestic chores.
Martha yes, but poets,
never. No matter how far this
new liberality may extend, it
will never reach down to the
poets. Poets are not celebrity
material. They are invisible to
| paparazzi; their images do not
register on film. They emerge
from their own cars. They have
no agents, no managers, no
handlers. Poets all handle
themselves.
Would you like to take a
famous poet to lunch? Just ask.
The phone number is listed.
The schedule is open. And if
the poet, when reached, dis¬
plays the least hesitation about
joining a importunate stranger
for lunch, simply say these
magic words: “My treat!”
(On second thought, per¬
haps a poet might conceivably
enter The Celebrity
Community. Naturally, it could
not be for writing poetry, only
for some other, more celebrat-
able, unique personal achieve¬
ment or lucky accident.
Sending a series of letter
bombs comes to mind, and has
worked in the recent past.
Receiving even one letter
bomb can also be the ticket.)
The real reason poets can¬
not be celebrities is that so
many of them are teachers. For
few poets can ever entirely
quit their day jobs.You don’t
sell poems; you give them
away. Typical payment for
allowing a respected national
literary journal to publish your
poetry is two free copies of the
magazine. So poets teach.
Which brings me to the
perennially annoying question:
“Can poetry be taught?”
The question never seems
to go away. As a student I was
asked it at least once a month.
As a teacher it comes more
like once a week. In the wis¬
dom of middle age and early
parenthood, I have finally
learned to reply, almost polite¬
ly, “Why in the world would
poetry be the only purposeful
j human activity that cannot be
taught?”
The questioner, brought
up short by my logic, always
tries again, immediately
reframing the question. “I
mean, I know you could tell
them how many lines in a
sonnet, and what’s the rhyme
scheme, and all that. But can
you really truly teach Poetry?”
That capital P on Poetry is
the giveaway. It means that
poetry is not an ability. Nor is
it a vocational skill, like edit¬
ing, embalming, or embezzle¬
ment. Rather, it is an ineffabil-
ity. Poetry, in the firm opinion
of everyone who doesn’t write
poetry and the most deluded
three-quarters of those who
do, is not something you cre¬
ate. It is something you already
have. It is a state of grace, glo¬
rious but undeserved. It’s like
the blues, like style, like class,
like jazz. It is a shrug, a je-ne-
sais-quoi. It is “If-you-don’t-
know-I-can’t-tell-you.” It is a
magical divine fluid, a mythical
ichor supposed to flow in the
veins and flood the internal
cavities of The Talented
Other. Who’s got it? Not me.
Not you. Only those favored
by, or born of, the gods.
Once, I believed that crap.
Sometimes I still do. But not
this week. They can teach. I
can learn. I’m going up the
mountain tomorrow, and I’m
not coming down until I can
I write poetry.
David Weinstock is a freelance
writer living in Middlebury His
poems, and more of his Bread Loaf
Diary, are featured on the Web-
based literary magazine, Riding
the Meridian
www. heelstone. com /meridian
That capital P on Poetry is the
giveaway. It means that poetry
is not an ability. Nor is it a
vocational skill, like editing,
embalming, or embezzlement.
Rather, it is an ineffability.
Fall 97
NOTHING GOLD CAN
by 'Robert Frost 1923
Natures first green is gold.
Her hardest hue to'hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay
Frpni: The Poetry of Robert Frost, edited by Edward Con^ryTatliemj COp&fcig&t A
by Robert Frost. Copyright 1 *>23, © 1969 by Henry Holfond.Gomparty’, L,LC. ,
Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt and Coinpan>£LiL(v * ' ' ]